It's Going to be an Interesting New Year
by darkshadowgirl666
Summary: After another Potion-turned-Poison, courtesy of Neville Longbottom, the residing Potions Master is shrunk to a feisty little four-year old! What cunning scheme will Dumbledore cook up this time? We all know what a Master Chef he is. HPSS non-slash, HGRW.
1. Prologue Cruciatus and Lemon Drops

A Harry Potter Fanfiction

By Shadow

Warnings: Male x Male relationships, mild swearing, and nude babies. If this stuff doesn't float your boat feel free to sail around it but please don't sink it for others; we don't need another Titanic. Oh, I love that movie. Shame my mum doesn't.

Caution! Cute OC Potions teacher later in the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own the HP Cast. All things that you recognize from the books belong to her. Other wise they belong to me, unless I borrowed it without realizing from someone else. If I subconsciously borrowed it from you or someone you know, please PM me or E-mail me about it and I will do what I can to sort it out.

Summary: After another Potion-turned-Poison, courtesy of our own Neville Longbottom, bless his cotton socks, the residing Potions Master is shrunk to a feisty little four-year old! What cunning scheme will Dumbledore cook up this time! Of course, it's going to be exquisitely delicious because we all know what a Master Chef he is...

Pairings: main: SS/HP in later chapters, SB/RL, RW/HG. Anymore can be requested and I'll try and work them into the story but they'll be side pairings.

OxoXoxO

Prologue: Cruciatus and Lemon Drops.

After 16 years of unwavering concentration and attention on his work for both Dumbledore and The Dark Lord, even at the same time, the sudden sweeping sensation of nostalgia caught him completely unawares, making him stop and ponder for a moment where this feeling had come from.

It could never be from the rotten childhood he'd had, with the man he had been forced to call Father.

But it certainly couldn't be from his school days. Potter and his Gang had made sure of that, along with more than half the school more than willing to help.

The first reason he had to live for in his life was his kind, caring mother who had died when he was thirteen, leaving him in that monsters care until the age of fourteen when a supposed gas fire had killed the brute, sending him to his closest family. The Princes had then sent him off after a mere three weeks to an Orphanage.

Of course, they couldn't have expected him to not run away could they? If they didn't then they had obviously either brainwashed the children living there or didn't get older orphans and rejects often.

The second and last constant figure of any warm emotion toward him was the beautiful, smart, kind Lily Potter -- nay -- Evans but that relationship was halted in Fifth year when that detested word escaped his mouth.

Was that it? Was it the lingering regret and guilt for not being able to save her all those years ago? It seemed to be.

The nostalgia began to melt away soon afterwards but left in its place was a sudden...realization, of sorts.

What was the next best thing to saving his best-childhood-friend and long time crush?

Unfortunately, the answer was quite simple.

Protecting his best-childhood-friend and worst school enemy's poor, ill-fated, and self-endangering son, Harry Potter: The Boy Who Bloody Lived.

I mean, it must mean _something_, even a tiny little something, to make up for not being there in time to save Lily Potter and her blasted husband themselves, right?

Right.

So all he had to do was protect the boy from serious harm and himself until the Snape's own death, or at least keep him from rushing into dangerous situations without thinking first and asking questions much later like most Gryffindors tended to do. This is where the Granger girl came in again.

-- The Hat must have at least mentioned the House of Smart-Arse Nerds to her once in the Sorting --

How fun.

All he had to do was be the baby-sitter.

And with a baby like Potter, there was no telling who'd be left alive at the end and whether or not the house would be in ruins.

It was a real shame, though, how their positions were about to be reversed.

And only in the first week of school, too.

OxoXoxO

A/N: If you have time to review, please also try and get some CC in there. For those of you who don't know that's Constructive Criticism.

Thank You

Xx Shadow xX


	2. Chapter 1 I Sevwus Snape

Warnings: MalexMale relationships, mild swearing, and nude toddlers. If this stuff doesn't float your boat feel free to sail around it but please don't sink it for others; we don't need another Titanic.

Disclaimer: I don't own the HP Cast. All things that you recognize from the books belong to her. Other wise they belong to me, unless I borrowed it without realizing from someone else.

Pairings: main: SS/HP in later chapters, SB/RL, RW/HG. Anymore can be requested and I'll try and work them into the story but they'll be side pairings.

OxoXoxO

Chapter 1: A Four-Year-Old Snape.

Severus Snape prided himself on his intense focus that produced the best quality potions and stopped the biggest and toughest bullying runt in the school. All excepting those from his House of course.

Being the Master of Occlumency wasn't only for nightmares and outward invasions of the mind, you know.

Focus was just a bonus side-effect of sorts the came with the ability to clear and organize ones mind as he could.

Even before having learnt it in Third Year, mental centralization was acute at worst; Occlumency merely enhanced it, little-to-no friends lent him more time to practice and advance.

So it came as no surprise that the boy had become a potions prodigy before the tender age of twelve.

It even dulled the pain some, to list the ingredients and directions of Wolfsbane Potion in corresponding order in his head when the beatings became too much; whether it was at home or school was irrelevant, what was important was that he never fain -- lost consciousness. Snape didn't faint.

Now, to have that intense focus wisp away with a mere whimper from a few pathetic Gryffindors who couldn't get a simple Calming Draught right was an insolent show of poor, insouciant insipidity.

And it was only a start of the year quiz as to see if their memory was as bad as their skill. It seemed it was.

Though he hated to admit it, the muggle-born girl, Granger, was the only student in the entire classroom who had gotten it right. Her own Draught was exactly the right colour, consistency, Hell, it even smelled perfect! Of course, to do that she would have had to differentiate some of the ingredients and directions from the trick ones he had set on the board; those were for an ageing potion, which was just one accident away from becoming a De-aging potion.

_The girl is more intelligent than she looks,_ He thought grudgingly. _She should have been put into Ravenclaw._

Her only rivals in succeeding in brewing the Draught were Draco Malfoy, his Godson and son of Lucius Malfoy, who had been sent to Azkaban, the Wizarding Prison; The half-witted fools, Blaise Zabini, though his potion looked more green than pale blue; and the Parkinson girl that was usually seen holding onto Draco's arm like a Constrictor.

She looked feverish as she added the ingredients and stirred clockwise three times. He supposed that was because glanced at Granger every possible available second to see if she'd mess up. Poor girl; maybe she would have a heart attack by the end of the class and be put out of her misery. Everybody that knew the two also knew that they fought like rabid cats and that their rivalry actually rivalled that of his Godson and that blasted man's equally blasted son.

Speaking of Potter Jr, Snape discreetly glided over to the simpleton's cauldron as the Sixth year's back was turned in favour of slicing the Newts liver equally and was quite surprised, though it was not shown by his mask of indifference, that the boy's product had actually gotten pretty close to Grangers. Not the same creamy consistency, just fractionally paler in colour and it smelt like some of Honeyduke's Blood lollipops, whatever they're called, Butterbeer and burned hair mixed together, but it was close.

"Actually managed to pay attention in class today, Potter?" The man sneered quietly but loud enough for the boy questioned to hear and the two friends on either side.

The dark mop of hair hovering over his current task started and turned sharply but miraculously knocked nothing over in the process. However, he was either too absorbed in the potion or too stunned by the fact that Snape had quite clearly complimented him, in his sarcastic way, to think of a comeback.

Snape sneered at the shocked silence he received and moved onto a much stressed looking Neville Longbottom who was sweating like a snowman in the desert at the back of the class.

"Did Snape just say what I think he said, Harry?" Ron Weasley, Harry's best friend of five years, asked.

"I think so. Can you believe it?" Harry replied.

"Not a bit, mate. Blimey! You think he's drunk?!" The red-head added the last part in a loud whisper that carried to Hermione Granger, Ron's girlfriend and Miss Smart-Bunny of the generation on his other side.

"Oh please, Ronald. Professor Snape doesn't look or seem like the kind of person to get drunk. Even on New Years. And he wouldn't be teaching if he'd had any. I've never _seen_ him drink anyway." The girl spoke with an exasperated tone until the last line where it changed to uncertain clarity.

"Yeah, but Mione, he could easily take a few swigs after Dinner in his rooms when no one sees him and then a Hangover potion in the morning so no one suspects or anything!" Ron countered.

"That's ridiculous, Ron! And even if he does why does it matter to you?" Here goes another one of their squabbles over such a common thing that wasn't even related to them.

In fact, Harry had known one of these was coming after 'Oh please, Ronald', he was so used to listening to them. And after every fight he seemed to go deep into thought while subconsciously continuing with the work he was doing at the time.

Snape peered into Neville's cauldron and drew out a long, pained sigh.

"D, Longbottom, for being incompetent and inapt, though you have actually managed to make the potion close to perfect...Can you guess where you went wrong?"

Everybody in the class was listening quietly at this point including Harry who had been shaken out of his stupor, the Gryffindors with sympathetic frowns on their faces and the Slytherins with their featured smirks. But when their professor said that the most inept person in the class to study potions had actually got a potion close to perfect all heads snapped to attention in unison.

"Er...n-no s-s-sir." The boy stuttered, trembling at the intimidating stare the man was directing at him.

"What you got wrong, Longbottom, was first the fact that this is a De-ageing potion. The instructions I've set on the board are clearly to make an Aging potion. You must have confused the Salamander's heart with its brain. Secondly, at the beginning of this lesson I plainly stated so that even people like you could understand that the class make a _Calming Draught_."

At this, Neville's eyes widened almost comically and Snape would have laughed if he were a laughing man. Obviously, he was not.

"Of course, we cannot let such an effort go to waste. Your concoction will be stored for suitable purposes, for which I am required to give you an E. Now leave the room before you indubitably blow something up."

As Snape had been talking, coldly as was his way, and everyone else had looked positively shocked that the man was actually saying something that largely hinted at a compliment, nobody had noticed that Neville's mixture was bubbling feebly at the edges of the cauldron and then frothing by the time the man had imparted that he would keep it.

Neville had been too tensely thinking about how many House points would be deducted if he made another mistake in Snapes lesson and so had inevitably made the mistake he was trying not to. (Fate could be so cruel sometimes.)

So, of course, before the hook-nosed man even got past 'blow something up', the brew blew up. Right into his face.

Neville yelped as he and everyone around his cauldron scrambled from it and the potion to the other side of the room; the braver Lions only got just out of range of the rapidly spitting droplets and now condensing vapour that was beginning to cloud the classroom, their wands out and survival instinct alert.

The Slytherins of course made it out first, crowding outside the door as their less courageous counter-parts stayed inside but against the back wall.

When everyone had quieted down Harry looked around to see if the students were ok. They were.

That's when he noticed that their professor wasn't with them. Looking around he spotted what looked like a large shrinking opaque bubble in the midst of the smaller bubbles of yellow slime.

"Hermione, will that potion be of any use now?" He asked, slightly panicked.

She heard the expression in his voice but answered anyway, confused as to what had caused it. "No. The components were unstable and thus not suitable. That was the only reason it could have blown up like tha- Oh my!"

That first sentence was enough for Harry who had _Evanescoed_ the goop that had stopped sizzling minutes ago and found nothing but a pile of clothes and robes on the flagstones next to Neville's designated cauldron.

Everyone stared at them, shocked into silence from the excited mumbling and talk that had built up from the Gryffindors about the explosion.

Then something happened that shocked them even more.

The heap of black fabrics began to move before their very eyes and the Golden Trio darted forward to investigate. As Harry moved an outer robe from its place, a cherub shaped head appeared with soft coal black hair, half-open onyx eyes, small pale pink lips and a small nose.

The eyes blinked three times to clear the lingering grogginess and the head shook, throwing the deep black materials off of a half-naked toddler in the action, shorter but still shoulder length hair swinging with the head, before locking onto emerald green.

The very air seemed to freeze as the students waited with baited breath for something to happen. And when it did, it seemed like this year was going to be very interesting indeed.

OxoXoxO

Mini-Snape had confusion written all over his face like he was born just a second ago. He stared at the big boy with green eyes who was sitting beside him, looking at him like he'd been hurt really bad and he wondered who he was.

He vocalized this thought in a very cute little child's voice.

"Who You?"

And, yes, everyone gasped.

Only slightly taken aback, Harry answered as simply as he could put it.

"Er, I'm Harry Potter. This is my friend Ron Weasley," he pointed to said person, "And this is my other friend Hermione Granger. Who are you?" The last part he added for confirmation of his mental assumptions.

"Hawwy Potter, Won Weasy, Mynee Gwangew. I Sevwus Snape." One thin finger pointed at the owners of the names as he attempted to say them then to himself.

Having gotten over the original shock some of the Gryffindor girls giggled at the small child's mispronunciation and approached the four, cooing and simpering about how cute he was while the boy in question tried to get away into Harry's robes, shy and strangely abashed.

Neville decided to go get the Headmaster, afraid he'd permanently stuck his Potions Professor as a child, and even if not permanently, he was a child nonetheless. It was likely the man would come after his head for this incident then possibly toss it to The Giant Squid or something more gruesome.

Five minutes of Harry snickering at Severus' predicament of being chased by girls around him, Ron's cackling at the Slytherins either outraged or still shocked expressions and wide eyes watching their miniaturized Head of House squirm, Hermione generally trying to calm everyone down but unsuccessfully hiding her own amusement at the situation and everyone else in Gryffindor doing one or the other, later, Dumbledore entered through the dungeon door with Neville Longbottom and Minerva McGonagall in tow, the former anxiously kneading his hands.

"Well, now, what do we have here?" The Head Mugwump chuckled, the twinkle in his bright blue x-ray eyes shining merrily, even more so when he set his gaze upon Harry grinning as he sat on the cold dungeon flagstones, legs crossed and the pale little angel face poking out of his robes, hiding from the gaggle of girls who hadn't spotted the newcomers yet.

"Hi, Professor Dumbledore." Dean said simply but directing his gaze to the girls at the same time. Fortunately, they knew enough to know that that meant the headmaster wished to speak to them but were still giggling as they left.

Harry, Ron and Dean exchanged an amused look.

As Dumbledore spoke to the students about how they were doing at Hogwarts, what their next lesson was - Charms - and if they enjoyed it and what they thought of Lemon drops, Professor McGonagall privately discussed the current situation with her three house members.

Hermione explained from the beginning about how Snape had entered class looking distracted and had simply explained briefly the potion they were to make, putting trick instructions on the board for another potion entirely and then sat at his desk, grading but looking thoughtful through the rest of the lesson until about eight minutes ago when he walked around to check everyone's work and talked to Neville when the older boy's cauldron blew up on him, Harry spelled the slime off him and finally here he is. (This was where she took deep breaths.)

The animagus had listened through the entire, nearly ten minute explanation with lots of detail in complete, calculating silence. When Hermione had finished, the boys' heads were spinning and McGonagall was thinking intently. When she ordered the other Sixth years to their next lesson, some of which argued to know what was going to happen and others who just wanted to see their Godfather and know what going to happen to him, she called the headmaster over to speak with them after which she retold Hermione's tale in a very brief summary then they all left for the Hospital Wing.

"Fascinating, fascinating. This is quite a conundrum. Well, then we will have to put some plans together, won't we?" Said the headmaster in a tone that suggested he was stuck with a particularly difficult word puzzle in the Quibbler as he looked at the skinny little child with jet black hair. - No, I'm not talking about Harry - The others merely looked at him strangely, then expectantly.

Five minutes of three moving staircases later, they entered the Hospital Wing where Madam Pomfrey was just leaving her office. She took one look at everyone gathered then Severus in particular tutting and shaking her head.

"Really. It seems no-one can attend this school for one year without something or other going wrong." She expressed, amused, the edges of her lips tugging up in a smile.

Everyone but Severus laughed at this. The boy just looked at them like he was at a loss for whatever the grown-ups were laughing about. Which he was.

Madam Pomfrey took the boy in her arms, keeping the clothes on him and made a quick check-up spell, scanning Severus from head to toe with her wand and then muttering some other medical incantations, finishing up with, "He's healthy, if a little bit malnourished.

His bones are weak; his blood is thin but only slightly more than normal. His muscles are still recovering from the de-aging process and will be for about three to four days. He'll be quite sore in the morning and then some. He may complain about stomach cramps and a rather painful headache for a couple of days. There's nothing to do for those except a numbing potion for which I am currently out of stock, unfortunately. The only person I know capable, and qualified," she added as Ron began to interrupt, about to mention Hermione, "for the job is Professor Snape himself, and he is, as you can see, currently pre-occupied." With that, she handed him back to Harry.

Everyone looked at the boy who was currently trying to keep his oversized robes from falling off of his frail shoulders and failing. This was when Harry finally spoke.

"Shouldn't we shrink his clothes? They're kinda big for him." At this Dumbledore merely flicked his wand and the robes were transfigured into soft Slytherin green pyjama's with little moving snakes on them.

"I will need to keep him in the hospital wing in the case of some other side effect happening in the middle of the night and to apply some salve to the required areas in the morning." Madam Pomfrey continued. "After that somebody needs to take care of him until we find some solution or antidote for this." Again, at this everyone turned to the Headmaster who had a smile in place of the frown that had taken residence when the matron was listing the young Snape's maladies.

"Why don't we ask young Severus here, who he wants to take care of him? Go ahead, child." Dumbledore asked.

OxoXoxO

Snape peered at the old man with the sparkly star eyes when he asked who he wanted to stay with, round at everyone else and finally the big boy that was holding him and decided he wanted to stay with him.

He had never been asked what he had wanted before, and it was kind of suspicious, but the man was nice to him. It felt good.

If he'd said he wanted something at home he was either laughed at savagely by Father or his mummy told him that she couldn't get it for him, even though she really wanted to, but it would be taken away by Father and thrown to the big Doggies that lived in the nasty lady's garden down the street.

So far, he'd not been able to understand the bigger words the grown-ups said, but was unable to quite grasp the other ones either so he settled for just watching their mouths move, only that made him feel sleepy.

The three big people were much nicer than his Father who hit him with the belt when he drank too much of the stinky water that made him act and talk funny. He hit his mummy too when she tried to stop him. Then she cried and her eyes went all red when he cried for his Father to stop hurting mummy. But he only hurt her more until she fell asleep.

Sometimes the man made him sleep outside when the cold white stuff fell from the sky and it was cold and wet and nobody came to help them.

He pointed to the big boys and girl mumbling _them_ drowsily and snuggled closer the big boy with the familiar looking eyes. The warmth was so nice and cosy he felt his eyes begin to droop then fell into a warm darkness.

OxoXoxO

Everyone was pretty shocked when the former potions master actually asked for them to be his guardians and then fell asleep in Harry's arms.

Ron was the one to break the silence between the group. "Well, I never saw that coming."

"I don't think anyone did. Did Professor Snape just ask for me, Ron and Harry to be his guardians?" Hermione asked, regaining composure already.

"Yes, Miss Granger. Now the real question is: Will you do it?" McGonagall countered, staring the three in the eyes.

The three looked between each other, coming to a silent agreement and answered as one, "Yes."

OxoXoxO

A/N: Ok some things might be confusing in this chapter but I'll try to clear up anything in the next one.

Please review if you have time or a question or if you just want to flame. If you have to flame please do it in a private message. That way I can ignore it better.

Thank You.

Xx Shadow xX


	3. Chapter 2 Dangerous Dealings?

Warnings: Read in previous chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own the HP Cast. All things that you recognise from the books belong to Ms. JKR. Other wise they belong to me, unless I borrowed it without realising from someone else.

A/N Clash of the red and green Titans in this one. Finally some action, huh?

OxoXoxO

Chapter 2:

Severus Snape. Potions Master; Head of Slytherin House; Evil suspected Death Eater. Was asleep in Harry Potter's lap.

What were the odds of that?

Apparently pretty high when anything with potions and Neville Longbottom were involved together.

But at the moment, the dark, solitary, cold man was four years old, held in his previously most hated enemy's sixteen-year-old sons arms, breathing deeply and slowly in peaceful dreamless slumber with his face snuggled into the area between his shoulder and neck.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting on one of the beds in the Hospital Wing, the Headmaster and Deputy Head Mistress sitting on the bed across from them.

"I know a few things about looking after kids when my aunt and uncle used to make me baby-sit for next doors," Harry informed the headmaster when Madam Pomfrey had left them for the important papers in her office and the latest wizard Romance novel. "but those kids were like three years younger than me and they kept quiet most of the time. I was pretty good at making them behave when they weren't, though."

"I used to baby-sit all the time in the summer holidays before I came to Hogwarts; the ages ranged from two-year-olds to kids almost as old as me." Hermione added on Harry's right just beside the pillow, obviously proud of her achievements. "If they were younger I had a bit of help from older friends or neighbours where handling them gently was concerned. Changing them and such."

"I used to help mum with Ginny until she was about five." Ron put in uncertainly. "You know, feeding her, dressing her, trying to get her to sleep and failing miserably."

"Well it's going to be a simple enough job, then, isn't it?" The Transfiguration Professor asked, ignoring the redhead's last comment; her tone made her question sound more like a statement. "If you divide suitable tasks between the three of you then you will have the hang of this in no time. I would like you to report to my office at the end of this week to inform me of his behaviour, health, any advances in his memory and any more important notes and I will keep you all up to date with any solutions or discussions which may have promise."

"Yes, Professor." The trio chanted. Hermione picked up Severus gently so as to not wake the sleeping child and put him down on the bed before covering him with the blanket and tucking him in.

They said good bye to the professors and filed out of the room for their last lessons of the day. As they had already missed Charms, and Herbology was just about finished anyway; the Arithmancy class was the direction for Hermione and Divination for the boys. Dumbledore, though, remembered something at the last minute and proceeded to voice this new information before it was too late.

"Oh! Before I forget, you three will have your own dormitory that will be magically equipped to help care for young Severus. It will be situated on the seventh floor close to your common room, behind the portrait of the little girl in the yellow dress. The password is _Sugar Quills._ You may take your belongings there tomorrow morning before picking up Severus."

"Thank you, sir." Miss Granger said politely before walking quickly out of the doors and on to their respective class rooms.

OxoXoxO

The two boys had walked as slowly as possible, even dragging their feet, to Trelawney's classroom but when they got to the ladder, there were still a group of people still waiting for the others to disappear through the square above them.

As they stealthily took a table in a dark corner at the back so that nobody saw them, they didn't notice Malfoy and Zabini on the table beside them, their heads lowered and conversing quietly, words unheard in the conversation humming throughout the rest of the room.

It was nearly twenty minutes into the lesson when Trelawney finished distributing her books _Open Your Inner Eye, By Inigo Imago_ and cleared her throat loudly gathering the attention of the class, her rather large glasses and magnified eyes making her look like an impossibly huge insect, and began speaking when everyone was finally silent.

"Good day, class. Welcome back to the Fine Art of Divination. I am delighted to see you have safely returned to Hogwarts - as I of course I knew you would. I hope you have been exercising your chakra and aura levels over the summer and deciphering your dreams in your personal journal." She wheezed in her misty voice, her many bangles and beads clinking as she pulled her shawls around herself more firmly, despite the humid warmth in the room and overpowering incenses. Many of the students have taken off their outer robes and their sweatshirts, setting them on the backs of the stuffed armchairs, or behind them on pouffes, big cushions, or stools.

Ron snickered and Harry groaned along with most of the class. Neither of them had really bothered to complete their Dream Diaries or even go further than the last project in June as most of it was a waste of time. Harry himself had been working on trying to get his chores done before his Uncle Vernon got home from work. After that, even staying awake long enough to eat whatever small portion of dinner his Aunt had slid through the cat flap was exhausting.

In his spare time though, when he had finished a smaller list of chores, he had managed to sit and finish those essays that he had deemed more important; The foot of Transfiguration paper on Full-Human Body Transfiguration had been completed within the first week of school, with some help from coded letters Snuffles had discreetly sent him behind Remus' and Hermione's backs. Professor McGonagall had certainly looked surprised but quite pleased that some one beside Miss Granger had managed it.

"Let us begin the first lesson of the year with a Stimulation Activity. Everyone clear your mind. Calm your breathing and take looong, deeeep breaths." Trelawney droned in her rather melodramatically misty voice, "Sit in pairs and choose who will go first. Take turns asking your partner the first question that comes to your mind. Your partner will take ten seconds in which you hold onto the first thought that your Inner Eye draws. If your partner's answer matches your thought, mark a point on a piece of parchment to note the number of answers correct. After ten minutes we will stop and consult our Guide on the table in front of you."

When the class had looked up to listen to the woman's speech Malfoy had caught sight of Harry from the corner of his eye and had then heard him groan along with the rest of the like-minded guys. After assigning them their new start-of-year topic Trelawney answered a question that a very enthusiastic Lavender Brown asked, lending the platinum-blond a temporary distraction from the old bat.

"Oi, Potter. What have you and Dumbledore done with our Head of House?"

The surrounding pairs that were close enough to hear them perked up at this, Lions and Snakes alike ignoring the work in favour of turning to listen in on the exchange.

"No one's done anything to him, Malfoy; he's in the Hospital Wing getting treated by Madam Pomfrey." Harry replied calmly, turning to face his rival. "She's going to let him out tomorrow morning since there's the chance of any gradual pains he'll have when he wakes up in the morning." Neville cringed at the 'pain' part.

Malfoy glanced at Blaise who looked thoughtful. "Where's he going when he's been discharged?" The Italian asked, looking between Harry and Ron.

The two Gryffindors exchanged a furtive glance at this but the redhead answered anyway, as usual not thinking about the consequences before acting.

"He chose to stay with us."

"**WHAT!!**" Those who had been working started and jumped about a foot in the air when everyone who _had_ heard Ron's nonchalant comment shrieked in rage. "WHY?!" Draco continued loudly, actually very close to puncturing the eardrums of everyone in the class. They were all listening as best they could anyhow.

"Because, Malfoy," Harry said while rubbing his ears, "Like Ron said, he chose to."

"But you're Gryffindors! Why would you want to take care of a Sly-- Hang on a minute!?"

Draco's eyes widened and a look of horror suddenly dawned on him, his smooth Malfoy features becoming paler than they already were. "You want to torture him for everything he did to you, don't you?! Now you can do it with nobody there to see or to stop you!"

All the students with green hemmed robes gasped at this, swerving to look at their counterparts in red, not believing that caring, warm-hearted _Gryffindors_ would actually do that.

"What?! What are you talking about, Malfoy. We don't torture kids! Where the hell did you get that from?"

"Well, why wouldn't you do it? It's not like he hasn't given you enough cause not to!" Theodore Nott inserted.

"Just because you lot would do that to one of us doesn't mean we're the same! Get a grip!" Dean Thomas retorted, standing up. The rest of them cheered this, some even raising their fists into the air.

Malfoy glared at him as he crossed his arms and sat back down but said nothing. Technically that was true; though he loathed admitting it out loud. And most Gryffindors actually went out of their way to help others without even expecting anything in return but gratefulness! No wonder some of them were so poor and more than half of them were tainted with muggle blood.

"Fine, Potter. But we had better see him at all of his meals without a hair out of place or a scratch on him." The blonde groused.

"And in return, we expect nothing but for all of you guys to keep to yourselves with the insults and comments until he's back to normal. Except in Quidditch and between yourselves. We can't steal all of your fun." Harry grinned as the rest of his House laughed good-naturedly.

Malfoy merely rolled his eyes and stuck out his hand, which Harry shook, closing the deal with a silent promise to inform the rest of the Houses.

And what do you know? The bell rings a moment later ending the last class.

OxoXoxO

Returning to the common room the trio sank into the armchairs and sofa in front of the fire blissfully. It was just after curfew and everyone else was going up to their respective dormitories, showering, changing and sinking into bed after a long first day back. The First and Second Years had fallen asleep hours ago excitedly recounting their day with each other, since their curfew was earlier.

Seeing as it had been a nice warm day, the sun was out with barely any clouds, everyone had decided to lounge about around the Lake after dinner. Hermione had spread out her books and homework under their usual tree in front of the large expanse of water, insisting that the boys do so too. It seemed that the Giant Squid had also decided to go for a long lazy swim above the surface.

Since Potions homework wasn't a problem to worry about until later, they started on their Charms. Hermione had done the pleasure of asking for it straight after she had left Arithmancy.

As they finished and Hermione checked their work over, Ron mentioned Malfoy and the deal he had made with Harry.

"Oh good, Harry! Now we have some foundations to develop a House Unity to stand against Voldemort! Oh, get over it Ron!"

"Hermione, you can't be serious! The only reason they don't come after us is 'cause we've got their precious Death Eater Leader and Head of House. They thought we were going to hurt him!" Ron remarked. _'This isn't a bad idea if he starts up.'_

"Yes, I know Ron, but like I said! It will give us a chance to _develop _a trust relationship with the Slytherins and then get the ones without the Dark Mark to join us against Voldemort!" _flinch_ "Ron!"

"Why don't we wait and see what happens, first?" Harry interjected quickly as Ron was about to say something no doubt full of either biting sarcasm or something that would set them off against each other again. "Then we'll see about the Union thing, Hermione, if everything goes well enough."

Ron gave him a wounded look, making Harry feel slightly guilty, even more so when Hermione beamed at him and then got back to checking their work.

Half an hour before curfew, the trio decided to go check on Severus who was still sleeping when they entered. The Matron informed them that he had woken up two hours ago and had his dinner, he had made good progress, and that they could go. They returned to the common room and up to their dormitories, ending an eventful first day back.

OxoXoxO

A/N

Sorry if anyone sounds OOC in this, cuz I'm trying to get it as close as physically possible.

If Divination was a subject at school, I'd totally take it, mostly just to find out some interesting new stuff about it. I'm kinda two-sided on believing in real spiritual stuff, though it does make some good points. In my opinion.

Next chapter will be typed some time round midnight tonight, if I know myself, on my spell-check-less laptop.


	4. Chapter 3 Nightmares

Warnings: Read in previous chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own the HP Cast. All things that you recognize from the books belong to Ms. JKR. Other wise they belong to me, unless I borrowed it without realizing from someone else.

Pairings: main: SS/HP like a brotherly relationship I think, SS/RL implied would be similar, RW/HG. I don't think I'm ready to write a romance between the two main characters, I think because the story seems to be steering itself away from that...area. So no proper slash. But there will be between Harry and... Someone, stay tuned to find out. Sorry for any inconvenience.

**A/N**I actually kinda got blocked with this one in the Care of Magical Creatures lesson. -.-; the plot I have mostly figured out by now. Like about 75-80 percent. It's usually the details I get stuck on. It actually creeped me out but I don't know why.

I had sat up in bed typing this on my laptop from 11:30 or something and the next time I lookat the clock it's nearing 3am! That's dedication for you people, ;p Also I'm sorry this tookso long because I'd begun typing the rest of it on the Edit/Preview part and it suddenly got out of my control and got past 5,600 words including the a/n so I had to kind of cut it through the middle.

On with the Chapter...Enjoy...

OxoXoxO

Chapter 3: Nightmares

OxoXoxO

_"When did this happen?!"_

_"This morning, in Hogwarts, Sire. It seems he was teaching Potter's class and one of the brats' potion exploded." A platinum blonde head bowed at his feet._

_"My Lord, if I may?"_

_"What is it, Nott?!"_

_"My son has informed me of a most intriguing piece of information that we could use to our advantage against the old man."_

_"Very well, Nott, I'm listening."_

_"Harry Potter, My Lord. It appears that the Boy and his friends the Blood Traitor and the Mud-Blood girl were chosen to take care of him while he is indisposed until a reversal is found. Dumbledore permitted it himself."_

_Pause. A malicious chuckle. "Very good, Nott. You may go._

_"Lucius, we must discuss something...Privately..."_

"HARRY! Harry, come on wake up, mate!"

A sweaty, struggling Harry fell out of bed with a thump, sheets from his four-poster wound around him like a cocoon.

"I'm ok! Don't worry, I'm ok. What happened?" The brunette babbled as Ron and Seamus tried to help him untie himself.

"You were having another nightmare, I think, judging from your screaming and thrashing around." The Irish boy answered calmly albeit groggily. "Next time do it at a less ungodly hour please, mate."

They finally got him untangled and asked if he was ok, leaving for the showers when he lied so that they wouldn't worry. He sat down on the bed with Ron taking residence near the end and leaning forward.

"Was it another you-know-what, Harry?" Ron asked in a low tone so as not to let the others hear, Harry leaning back on his pillow and checking his wristwatch. It was twenty-to-seven.

Ron was the only person besides Hermione, McGonagall, and Dumbledore that knew about Harry's visions. "You were saying something like 'Don't hurt them' again and again before the guys woke up. What happened?"

"Well, yeah. They were talking about Snape. Nott told them Ron." Harry rubbed his scar irritably.

Ron cursed. "You can never trust the Slytherins."

"Yeah, I guess so. But that's what we're meant to change, remember? Whatever. We've got more important things to think about right now. Voldemort's planning something, Ron. He's talking to Malfoy about it." Harry ignored his friends shudder at the dark lord's name and massaged his neck.

"He obviously has something big planned. Great!" Ron had forgotten to keep his voice down at the last part and three freshly showered heads appeared from the shower's doorway, staring at him.

"Sorry guys." The redhead grinned and scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

OxoXoxO

When Harry had told Hermione about the dream in the common room, she had immediately said to 'Go to Professor Dumbledore'. She had said that after every other time he'd had some dream or vision concerning Voldemort.

He agreed to talk to him after checking in to see their charge Snape in the Infirmary, after breakfast.

Interestingly enough, when Harry had looked over to the Slytherin table after the owls had landed with the daily post, to see Malfoy reading a letter the blonde was getting paler and his eyes narrowed as they roamed further down the parchment. By the end, he was shaking, with what Harry couldn't see, but he abandoned his food and quickly exited the Hall, his robes actually swirling behind him in a fashion Snape would have been proud of. Then he slammed the doors so hard rest of the students and teachers, barring the headmaster, flinched in unison.

There was a moment of silence. Then murmurs and whispers started up for several minutes but returned to the usual talk of homework, _The Daily Prophet'_s latest findings, and the days classes.

"What the hell's got his knickers in a twist? Oh well, anyone we know dead, Hermione?" Ron resumed the usual over-stuffing of his face.

Hermione, who had got her nose stuck in the front page of _The Prophet _the second after she had given the delivery owl its Knut, shook her head in the negative but she had a strange look on face. The same look she usually gave something that she couldn't figure out but was about to research the minute she had time for the Library. She looked at Harry and Ron opposite her, stuffing his face with bacon and eggs.

"Looks like Lucius Malfoy's been seen talking to several High Level staff at St Mungo's, though they weren't allowed to speak about what he'd said. Confidentiality or something."

After swallowing a whole piece of bacon Ron lowered his voice and leaned in, Harry and Hermione automatically did the same, "What do you think he's got planned?"

"I don't know. It could be anything; you never know how sick, twisted minds like his work. It might be something simple, though I doubt that. Well, first we have to look at what they've done in the past. Voldemort possessed Quirrel in First Year to steal the Philosopher's Stone. Second through Third Year had nothing to do with the real Voldemort but a piece of his soul took over Ginny via a diary and used her to get Harry into the Chamber of Secrets (and let's not forget almost killed her), Fourth Year he actively tried to kill you, Harry, and Fifth Year he sent you a false vision to lure you into saving Sirius."

Harry groaned.

Though his beloved Dogfather wasn't dead, Harry still felt himself at fault for giving in to Voldemort. If he had listened to Dumbledore, ignored his curiosity and his dreams and had he even _tried _to get along with the snarky git of a Potions Master _and_ got enough sleep the night before, he wouldn't have fallen asleep in the History of Magic exam, wouldn't have had the false vision The Mad Lord gave him and wouldn't have nearly got Sirius killed.

On the plus side, as Bellatrix had been standing behind Black with the intention of a surprise in front of the veil, when a hex aimed for him missed as he dodged, it hit Ms. Maddie LeStrange right in the chest and she'd been sent through it instead. He distinctly remembered Neville throwing the hex, aiming before she moved behind her cousin.

"I know, Hermione, but I still have nightmares about it; how it could have gone much worse. If not that then something to do with my relatives throwing me out, or the night with Cedric, or my parents being murdered, or y--" Harry stopped abruptly, not wanting to continue.

"What, mate?"

Hermione decided to try a more informative way of bringing it out of him.

"Harry, did you know that muggles have scientifically proved that talking to someone about something that worries you automatically alleviates stress and makes you feel better? That's why they have Psychology, Hypnosis and therapy and things."

He did know, but that didn't mean it would make them feel better if they knew what he's been dreaming of. He settled for simply shrugging.

As Hermione opened her mouth, no doubt to tell him about all the wonderful prospects of letting blank-faced professional people poke around inside your brain, Ron decided to detour, saving his friend from a very long lecture and for which Harry gave him a grateful look.

"What about Snape? I want to know on what impulse the three of us decided to be his baby-sitters possibly for the whole year and maybe even more." Hermione looked disappointed but went along with the new topic.

"Well if it does stretch until after June then I'm afraid that either I can't help you two or I'm gonna have to take him. And the Dursley's won't like that; having another one of _'our kind'_ in the house." Harry said. The other two exchanged a glance but didn't comment.

Ron and Hermione both knew that their friends' relatives were the medieval sort. They didn't approve of magic or anything to do with it and especially not the people that use it.

Harry's aunt Petunia was a non-magical, horse-faced woman who hated anything to do with her late magical sister, Lily Potter, and _her_ type of people, as in Wizards and Witches and the like. Her husband and son were quite the same and they were all content with bullying Harry for it.

On the bright side, he was very quick and agile with the practice of dodging his cousin Dudley's and his gang's fists, he knew how to work the stove, washing machine and how to cook a perfect meal, and he was a brilliant gardener for muggle plants.

"Well we're going to deal with it until then anyway, but Professor Dumbledore should be able to find some relatively able Potions Master that can help." Hermione spoke.

"Yeah, but what about looking after him?" The redhead countered. "What if he never gets back to his proper age? What if he hates us even more than he did for looking after him? What if I have to bathe him?!" Ron looked near hysterical at the end, drawing the attention of some people around them and the Hufflepuff table, all of them had a rather disturbed, confused look on all their faces.

"Don't worry Ron." Harry soothed, patting him on the back, "I'll do it if you want."

The bell rang, signalling five minutes until the beginning of first class.

Hermione sighed, pushing away her half finished strawberry jam covered wholemeal toast and cold tea and picked up an apple to eat on the way. They got their bags and made their way out of the Hall to the Infirmary.

OxoXoxO

Severus Snape was eating breakfast, aggravatingly slowly with everything cut up into bite size portions, when the trio had entered. Seeing them he excitedly put his food away, pulled off his covers, and ran to them. He hugged Ron right around the thighs, as that was the highest up he could reach and then raised his arms to be picked up. Harry and Hermione began to giggle hysterically behind him as he picked the still pyjama-clad kid up and looked around at them with an array of expressions, all indubitably funny.

Madam Pomfrey came out of her office a moment later, hearing the infectious laughter outside. She began to chuckle herself and moved toward the supply cupboard.

"Ready to pick him up are you? He hasn't been able to sit still for very long since waking up despite his aches and soreness; some fresh air will do him good." The nurse said as she took two corked vials, one red the other green, and a tube and gave them to the girl who stored them in a bag that was charmed beforehand to store breakable objects. Severus giggled cutely as only a child could.

"The red vial is for his muscles; put a few drops of that in his juice or whatever he drinks in the morning. The green is for his head aches which you give to him before bed, the same; a couple of drops. Come back to me after a fortnight for another two. The salve is to rub onto his skin after a bath." Ron looked startled and glanced at Harry who shrugged. Severus had begun to squirm a little at the word 'bath'.

"That's for his bones. His lack of nutrition, stomach cramps and blood is something that we must to fix with food.

"Now, it's just like what everybody else has to eat. The thing with children is that they copy everything they see and hear, so that means that you three will need to do it as well to set a good example. And I wouldn't mind saying that you two," she directed at the two darker haired teens, "look like you need it. Especially you, Mr. Potter. Don't think of it as a diet either, merely as a healthier lifestyle choice."

She then pulled out her wand and with it drew up a list of good healthy choices for three meals and some snacks. "Sweets can be consumed but only on occasion. Don't use it as a reward or a bribe, or such, otherwise it could get ugly."

"Sweeties!!" The dark haired little boy threw up his arms, cheering. The adults smiled.

Hermione checked the list over. "Madam Pomfrey, have you found out anything about an antidote for him, yet?"

"I'm sorry, dear, but you'll have to speak to the headmaster about that."

"Ok, then. Right now we'll have to get Severus changed and go or we'll be late for History of Magic."

Ron groaned.

OxoXoxO

History of Magic with the Ravenclaws.

Boring. The Gryffindors sat at the back of the class, most of whom were too pre-occupied with mumbling nonsense in their sleep to take notes but others took to staring out of the windows or into space. The class was made at least more interesting with the mini Severus when the child had began to roll some parchment into balls and threw them at the floating professor.

The ones that didn't miss, which were few, went straight through him and he didn't even pause in his droning on, but the Ravenclaws looked like they were having a heated debate in their minds about just ignoring the disruption because he was too cute or ripping that adorable little brain out. Fortunately for Severus he was just too sweet and most of them were still afraid of him and what he would do if he survived. They were Ravenclaws for a reason.

Hermione was torn between reprimanding him for wasting paper and looking amused.

OxoXoxO

Ron was the first to pack all his things into his bag and race out of class when the bell rang; Harry and Hermione had struggled to catch up, especially with a four year olds little legs but did so at the bottom of the moving staircases, where the redhead was leaning with one hand on the wall, panting.

"Merlin, that was awful!"

"Merlin can't hear you Ron." Hermione voiced absently while straightening out her robes and her bag then moving onto the little boy who was bowed, clutching his knees and panting harshly, short dark hair sticking to his face and neck.

"Besides, you shouldn't have run so fast, Severus looks like he's about to have a heart attack!"

"Er, right, Hermione. What's next lesson, again?" Ron said, setting off when they had all caught their breath.

"Care of Magical Creatures," Harry answered looking at his timetable. "With the Slytherins."

"I can already see that going well." The youngest Weasley boy mumbled to him. Harry rolled his eyes but smiled all the same.

OxoXoxO

The rest of the class had already gathered when the trio and Severus got down to the Grounds between Hagrids hut and the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

There were two separate crowds, one maroon, the other emerald, but in the latter, among the dark blobs of various browns and blacks there was no pearly white-blonde as per usual.

Hagrid, a man twice as large as a normal man with hands the size of dustbin lids and a wild, tangled dark beard, seemed to have already started on his lesson but they managed to get the last of what he said. "...Well t'day, we'll be lookin' a' somethin' real special, see. We'll 'ave to go into the Fores' to see i' though. Now you've go' 'a be real careful, y' don' wan' 'a scare 'em off, 'cause even if they don' look i' they're frigh'ened eas'ly, they are." Then he grabbed the large rucksack at his feet, which was stained with what looked horrifyingly like dried, congealed, and also fresh dripping blood, and started toward an area of trees.

Severus began to giggle silently at Hagrids way of speaking. Harry quickly shushed him and held his hand firmly, but neither wiped the smirk or childish grin off of his face.

The class followed the giant man into the forest, sticking close to him. The emerald students almost completely blended in with the scenery.

Before going far inside the border of the trees Severus had stood in front of Ron and held up his arms in front of him, wanting to be picked up. "Can't you walk?" The red head had said irritably as he had gripped the kid under the arms and hoisted him up, setting him on his hip. The little boy shook his head at the question and then proceeded to suck his thumb and lay head on the older boys shoulder, wrapping his other arm around his neck.

Hermione and the other girls in red 'awwed' at this adorable display while the females in green began to gag, making some of the guys laugh.

The Forbidden Forest was given its name because of all of the magical beasts that lived here, only myths and legends in the muggle world. With the animals that Harry had seen every time he had come here and everyone else had heard resided in those woods, it certainly lived up to it's name, which was why everybody flinched at even the smallest sounds of Bowtruckle scarpering to protect its habitat or birds launching from their nests. Severus had begun to hold poor Ron in a death grip he was afraid he's never get out of and had begun to tremble a little bit. He had even hid his face inside Ron's collar, which the sixth year seemed to find agitating.

After about ten minutes of walking through trees that began to quickly thicken and then thin again, they came to a clearing. Nobody wanted to to the center but kept away from the edges as well, lest some unplanned beast came by and picked them off silently.

Hagrid, though, kept on going until he stood in the middle and, after looking back at the gathered class once, cooed some kind of crude wordless lullaby at something on the other side. The seconds ticked by and nothing happened yet Hagrid kept at it, and moments later, something rustled in the shrubs at the other end of the circular area. It paused for a moment while Hagrid continued and then broke through the line of greenery and jungle.

Many of the students gasped softly, remembering the half-Giants warning before; the ones nearer the front retreated a few steps, while the braver took a couple forward to take a better look. Severus had looked up when someone uttered a very soft scream and stared, wide-eyed at the creature that had emerged.

It had large torn-looking leather wings folded over its back, tall as a horse with a similar looking head but almost completely covered in fur and large ears that twitched with every sound that the huddled teenagers made. It looked quite emaciated if the four spindly bare legs were anything to go by and what looked like ribs and a spine sticking through the coarse black hairs. It had a tail, though, that resembled something that ought to belong to a rodent but had a small tuft of fur at the end, out of which protruded a single small curved scorpion's spike.

Overall, it looked like the offspring of an experimented Thestral that had breeded with a giant mutant rat.

Hagrid stopped cooing and turned around as two smaller creatures made their way through the border. He gestured for the students to come closer, saying, "Come on, they won' 'urt you." and then opened the stained rucksack to pull something out.

Harry looked at Hermione, who nodded and stepped forward slowly toward their big friend. Ron also followed alongside Harry after checking that Severus would not get fussy or upset when close to them and led some of the braver feeling Gryffindors and even some Slytherins toward the heart of the clearing. The rest of them decided unwanted predators might be more willing to attack a smaller group and so edged closer too.

Hagrid finally pulled his hand out of the bag, along with a handful of very bloody meat that could very well fill the whole inside of even the Dudley's whale-sized body. Some people backed away a step or two.

When the large lump of meat landed at their clawed hoofs, similar to a raptor's, the first creature sniffed at it, nudged it with what should be its snout, sniffed at it again and then took a large chunk out of it, as a lion would do to a zebra or antelope, like the way it showed on The Discovery Channel. The other two deemed it safe and joined in, tearing it to shreds and devouring it. When they were done, they cleaned up any remaining blood on their snouts or the ground with a surprisingly long, thick, slimy serpentine tongue. (If anyone's seen Naruto, think Orochimaru.)

A lot of people said 'ew' at this. Severus gained a pale greenish tinge to his cheeks and returned his head back to its previous position.

Then the beasts sat down and rested, watching the students staring back with black eyes that glimmered dully in the weak sunshine that had managed to get through the thick canopy of tree tops.

Severus seemed to freak out a little at this last part and began to shake within Ron's arms so the lanky Weasley just tightened his hold a bit, especially when the kid buried his face in his neck again and whimpered.

"Now, can anyone tell me wha' these are an' wha' they do?" Hagrid asked the class, a tone or two lower than his usual boom but as far as possible from a whisper, after wiping his hand on a cloth and then putting it in the bag.

As predicted Hermione put up her hand but what she said when Hagrid picked her surprised everybody human in the clearing.

"Are they related to Thestrals?"

"Yea'. They're called Tarrecons (Tar-reh-kons). Actually, they're a pretty rare species. I've go' the only three in England righ' 'ere and none of 'em 'ave ever been recorded into any book." The giant man said, looking quite put out but unsurprised. That explained why Hermione didn't know about them.

"Any more would be in the wilder Asian jungles, but they're ge'in' endangered now. The wild one's move faster than tha' big muggle ca' animal they call a Sheetar or somethin'."

"Cheetah, Hagrid." Hermione corrected.

"Thanks, Hermione. Well," he continued, "They move faster than a Cheeter and usually attack with their claws, the ones you can see a' the fron' there, and if the prey is tougher, then they use the poison in tha' tail to bring 'em down in less than five minutes. I' would kill anything smaller than an adolesent dragon almost immediately which is why I didn' show you these until now. We don' need another acciden', this time with someone dyin' instead of in the Hospi'al Wing with a minor scratch. Y'know, like the inciden' in your Third Year, was i'?

Of course how could anybody _not_ remember that?

The trio had tried to save Buckbeak, the Hippogriff that had attacked Malfoy because of an insult, all year before he flew off to some unknown destination with Sirius Black, an innocent man convicted with murder.

Then he startled everyone with, "Who wan's ta pet 'em! Come on, they're tame, remember! Don' worry, all you have to do is le' them sniff you before touchin' them to le' 'em know your no' goin' ta harm 'em."

Many people looked repulsed by the mere suggestion and some even backed away a little further. Severus trembled even more.

Harry and Hermione were the only ones who tried because Ron was busy trying to calm down a rabid black bunny. Their hands weren't broken, bitten or poisoned or even scratched and everybody made their way back to the castle safely when the sound of a very distant but still loud chime rang through the grounds to signal that the class was over. The Tarrecons retreated back to where they came from and everybody closely followed Hagrid back out of the Forest.

It was now time for a short break before going to the next class. Thirty minutes of relaxed chatting to friends, a slow casual walk to the next class or hurried finishing of late homework.

The trio opted for the shade of a large Oak to settle down close to the Greenhouses, where their next challenge was to take place. Severus was still clinging to Ron like an abused puppy but calmed down significantly when he realized that they weren't in the Forbidden Forest and the Tarrecons anymore.

OxoXoxO

"Ok, Harry. Now, about this morning." Harry sighed inaudibly, but didn't do anything to stop her. They were his best friends and they only wanted to help.

"Why Hawwy sad?" Severus asked quietly from Hermione's lap, actually speaking for the first time since coming out of the Hospital wing. The little boy was staring at him with what he supposed was meant to be a concerned expression but the effect was ruined somehow by the overly large eyes peeking out through a mildly oily black curtain of hair. Harry made a mental note to give the kid a bath the minute they got inside their new dormitory.

"Harry's not sad, he's just, err...thinking about some things." The black-haired boy finished lamely. Ron snorted.

"What Hawwy finkin' 'bout?" The boy inquired, tilting his head sweetly. Harry smiled. "Harry's thinking about how many toys there will be in your new room when we go there later." He lied, watching Severus' face light up. He felt guilty in case there weren't any but really, why wouldn't there be toys in the nursery?

_If there _was_ a nursery_. Damn. But, again, why wouldn't there be? _Well_ - 'Shut up!'

"Harry, what about your dreams?" Hermione continued in a low tone while Sev asked the redhead what kind of toys, though really quietly as if they would be taken away if he appeared too eager.

"What about them Hermione? Don't worry, okay? I'll talk to him after last lesson is over, we check out our new dormitory and set it up; you guys can watch Severus or something and I'll go up."

"Harry you had better not just walk around the castle just to avoid it. Ron can watch Severus and I'll go with you."

Ron had heard this last part and made his opinion noticed by yelling very loudly and startling the four year old into hiding behind Hermione.

"Fine, Ron, you can make sure he goes and **I'LL** stay with Severus. Or Harry can be the mature adult he is and go by himself without delay." She said the last part looking pointedly at the black haired boy.

This was when the bell rang and so they picked themselves up and made the short distance toward the Greenhouses for Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.

OxoXoxO

A/N this is where i decide to cut it. It was kinda getting long and this was the best place I could find. The next chapter is being set out in my head with my muse who I have yet to name. She's nice though, and a little more organised than me (which is but isn't if you know what I mean.)

Ok. Ah...review if you see any mistakes or just if you have a question. Critiques are best though.

Thank You

xx Shadow xx


	5. Chapter 4 Plotting and Broomsticks

A Harry Potter Fanfiction

By Shadow

Warnings: Read in previous chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own the HP Cast. All things that you recognize from the books belong to Ms. JKR. Other wise they belong to me, unless I borrowed it without realizing from someone else.

Pairings: main: SS/HP like a brotherly relationship I think, SS/RL implied might be similar, RW/HG. I don't think I'm ready to write a romance between the two main characters, I think because the story seems to be steering itself away from that...area so no proper slash maybe until later chapters between Harry and... Someone, stay tuned to find out. Sorry for any inconvenience.

A/N I had a block on this one. Once again it was only on the details. Enjoy!

OxoXoxO

_"Harry you had better not just walk around the castle just to avoid it. Ron can watch Severus and I'll go with you."_

_Ron had heard this last part and made his opinion noticed by yelling very loudly and startling the four year old into hiding behind Hermione._

_"Fine, Ron, you can make sure he goes and __**I'LL**__ stay with Severus. Or Harry can be the mature adult he is and go by himself without delay." She said the last part looking pointedly at the black haired boy._

_This was when the bell rang and so they picked themselves up and made the short distance toward the Greenhouses for Herbology with the Hufflepuffs._

OxoXoxO

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly as besides wholly concentrating on the lessons Harry's mind wandered to many things, people, and places.

Mostly it was just the usual: Voldemort, Sirius, the Ministry, _The Prophet_ shooting his Love life and general life to pieces, his Love and general life anyway, etc. etc.

Oh, the woes of teenager.

Before realising it the last lesson had finished and the trio were making their way to the Gryffindor common room.

They left Severus in the Common Room so that he didn't get in their way whilst gathering their things, in the very capable and reliable hands of Katie Bell who practically ate him up like Honeyduke's finest chocolate when he giggled at one of her jokes. The other years began to crowd around and comment on how much sweeter he was as a child. He didn't exactly shine with pride but he at least became a little bit more confident.

They only had to make one trip once they packed everything together and levitated their trunks over to their new living quarters, leading Severus away from his admirers.

As promised Harry talked to Dumbledore in his office and the headmaster advised him to come to him sooner next time. He said he would inform the Order and they would keep a closer eye on all suspected Death Eaters.

Before leaving Harry remembered about what Hermione said about reversing the condition and what Madam Pomfrey had told them.

"Excuse me, Professor?"

"Yes, my boy?"

"I - We - That is to say Ron, Hermione, and I were wondering if there was a chance that Professor Snape would be able to get back to his own age?"

"You will have to call him Severus Harry; after all won't it seem odd to be calling your charge Professor, especially at his current standing." Dumbledore chuckled and Harry grinned sheepishly.

"But yes. Professor Slughorn was a very brilliant teacher before he retired and very reliable, second only Severus himself. He should certainly be up to the task of making an antidote of some sort if I ask him. In fact I shall ask him when I next see him, at Dinner I think."

"Thank you, Sir."

"No problem at all, Harry my boy. Would you like a Lemon Drop?"

After politely refusing the sour-sweet citrus candy Harry returned to a blazing fire and a warm, cosily decorated, and heavily furnished room. Unfortunately the tantrum the usually quiet and reserved Severus was making kind of ruined the homey affect, as did Ron's screaming and Hermione trying to calm them both down, unsuccessfully.

OxoXoxO

Just inside the portrait of the little girl in the yellow dress who had waved to him there in front of him was a rather large room relative to the size of the Gryffindor common room.

It was decorated similar to the common room too. A Large hearth on the left wall that was big enough for at least six people to stand in it comfortably, with big comfy armchairs around the front of the hearth and a coffee table before that. There were some bookshelves along the walls filled up with all sorts of different subjects, very likely for the Newt's exams coming up, or the smaller but just as important class tests.

There was a small horse-shoe shaped kitchen-like area situated on the immediate right side of the room with a table in the middle and four chairs around it, one slightly higher than the others which Harry supposed was for the four year old.  
Between two bookcases against the wall across from the portrait were four doors slightly spaced out; two were for the boys' and Hermione's bedrooms with included bathrooms, a bedroom and bathroom for Severus, and a nursery which, to Harry and Severus' relief was stacked with toys, stuffed and otherwise.

Now we focus on the tantrum.

"NO! NONONO! NONONONONO!! I DUNWANNAIDUNWANNAIDUNWANNA!!" This was what Severus was screaming behind his somehow locked bedroom door.

"YOU GET INTO THAT BATHTUB RIGHT NOW OR SO HELP ME I'LL PUT YOU THERE MYSELF -" Was what Ron was screaming, with much, much more expressly colourful words in between that even Harry had never heard him use, while standing in front of Severus' door.  
He usually only swore that badly when he got really pissed off with the Slytherins or Quidditch or something. His mum certainly wouldn't be pleased and that would be putting it as mildly as calling the Giant Squid a tadpole.

Hermione was simply trying to get herself heard but was failing miserably, standing between Ron and said door.

Harry merely stared at the situation for three minutes in disbelief before commanding his two friends to sit down in a very authoritative tone, coaxing the scared little boy from behind the door and then sitting him on his lap in front of the fire and making them recount what had happened.

What had happened was that, simply put, Severus was afraid to take a bath. Again, he stared.

"Why don't you want to take a bath, Severus?" Harry glared at his redheaded friend who closed his mouth and stayed silent.

"I dun wanna Hawwy. P'ease dun make me, p'ease. Can't I jus' take a shower, pwetty p'ease?" The boy said, his eyes wide and filling with tears and lower lip trembling.

He wasn't deterred but did hesitate at the sad little face, snapping himself back to mature adult mode and repeating the question, this time getting a response.

"I dun' like it b'cuz mummy was washin' me one time an'...an' ve Bad Man came home weally angwy and dizzy talkin' funny an'...an' he..." He gulped and sniffled, wiping his nose with a sleeve of his little dark green robes, curling up in Harry's arms.

"What did he do, Severus? Sweetheart, tell us what he did so we can punish him for you." Hermione asked from her boyfriends arms, looking as if she was about to cry.

"He twied to p-p-push me under the watew fow a w-w-wong time a-an' I couldn' bweave an' it huwt an'... an' mummy was shoutin' an' cwyin' an'...an'..." Now the tears he was holding back were making a little stream down his cheeks before Harry wiped them away and hugged him close. Ron looked livid and like he was going to vomit at the same time.

"I can't...believe...I was going to...force him..." He said trailing off. He was staring at the opposite wall with eyes that were quickly becoming red with what the brunette thought was anger.

"Don't worry about it Ron, you didn't know." Hermione comforted him, hugging him tightly.

"What if I bathed you, Sev? Is that Ok or do you want Hermione or Ron to do it?" Harry soothed the little boy in his lap gently, cuddling him.

"You pwease, Hawwy." Little Severus said hugging the much older boy and nuzzling his face into the soft cotton of the school shirt.

"Ok, you come in and wait while I get the bath ready, Sev." Severus nodded and wiped the rest of his tears away, doing as Harry said.

OxoXoxO

"See, Sev? This isn't so awful and the Bad Man isn't here to hurt you. It's just me and good old Ron and Hermione to take care of you." Harry soothed holding on to a slippery little boy in a bath full of magical scrubbing bubbles and rubbing his back.

Severus was relaxed and playing with three of his bath toys, a snake that swam round and round and hissed when the water got below a certain temperature - which wasn't really necessary because the bath had heating charms in it but it was just fun - a ball that changed the water different colours and a made-safe, palm-sized grindylow that randomly came up and tickled the child while swimming under the bubbles.

He shrieked and laughed and splashed the water as the Grindylow tickled him again and dove under. Harry, try as he might to avoid it, kept getting rained on so he took his shirt off to keep it from getting too soaked.

The black haired teen decided it was time to scrub the kid down after a few minutes and started with his hair, using his own shampoo.

It was a miracle none of it ran into his eyes with all the gravity defying water but Harry managed it, rinsing the suds out of the black locks; the water made them look darker, more like ink. He then used a soft flannel rubbed on faintly perfumed soap to gently clean the rest of him, blushing, but making Sev giggle when he brushed more sensitive and tickly spots, like his toes.

When the soap was rinsed off the former professor was let out in the clothes that had appeared next to the towel: a black t-shirt with green hems and collar with an emerald dragon that moved around on it and loose black jeans. Severus went running to the main room while Harry decided to get dry shirt from his room, putting his soaked one and Severus' clothes in the laundry basket that the elves would take.

Ron and Hermione were sitting on the sofa in front of the hearth when Severus ran out and jumped into Ron's lap, hugging both of them and all began laughing. No-one had noticed the younger boy blush as Harry disappeared into his room shirtless.

As it was only six o'clock they let Severus stay up until Dinner in an hour. He played with the toys in the nursery as the boys watched near the door and Hermione joined in beside him.

"So how did the bath go?" Ron asked his best friend, leaning against the wall. He was staring at the two playing with the toys with what looked like a protective fire in his eyes and something else that Harry couldn't quite decipher.

He answered, their shoulders nearly touching as he stood beside his best friend. "It was good. A little messy for something that's supposed to be clean...But he didn't think of his dad, if that's who he was talking about before." He was also watching the other two, amused but sad at the boys poor childhood.

Ron remained silent, smiling warmly when either of them looked their way, as did Harry.

OxoXoxO

Finally Dinner time came around and Severus excitedly skipped and ran down the hallways, doubling back at the others calls when he made a wrong turn and waited for the others at the winding staircases. His t-shirt had been covered by a black robe with warming charms woven in to it so that the castles chills didn't get to him and it flew behind him ungracefully, not even close to the somewhat elegant style he had as an adult.

The immediate silence was deafening when the group entered the Great Hall. Severus hid away from the hundreds of eyes by burying himself in the legs of Ron's robes before the Weasley picked him up. The redhead glared back at the Hall as they sat down with their fellow Gryffindors while still holding the child to his chest in a protective embrace.

Those eyes that met his glare looked hastily away and soon everybody but the Slytherins went back to the meal, some sneaking a peek every now and then. Malfoy looked over at the trio cautiously but not to glare or sneer, just to see how they were treating his godfather. He hadn't been in any of his classes that day so he hadn't seen them all together.

Severus was very important to Draco. He would have been a better father than his father was and would ever be; he cared for the blonde but left the more touchy affection to his mother. He never had been good with children; even the first and second years still made him a bit harsher so than usual so that he would be able to brush it off and just send them to the Infirmary if they got hurt. That was ok though, because he never did any of the things that Lucius Malfoy had done, even now when he was in hiding at Malfoy Manor.

Lucius had been the touchy type of man, the kind that liked to get closer to certain people, but not through communication and relationships. Oh, no. His leaned more toward the literal sense of the word. His marriage to Narcissa and child bearing with her had only been to produce an Heir; just a bond of convenience to link the Malfoys and Blacks together or something or other. He had never told his blood relatives but his son that he didn't go for the more femininely slim and slender, especially if they had functional breasts, curves and a baby maker in their gut.

He had never gone further than just touching or fondling though, which Draco was grateful for, at least until he was seventeen. When Draco wasn't available he sometimes had 'Death Eater meetings' without Aunt Bella. However, he had never seen Uncle Severus there, which was good.

It looked as if they seemed to actually do as they promised for him if the Weasel's hold on him was any indication, the way Potter was feeding him carefully and how Granger picked what he ate, only healthy and small things, and made him laugh when there was no chance of choking or some such. They looked to make a great team, working together and helping each other. Not that he would ever admit any of that aloud willingly.

"Hey guys, can I come over and see you in you new rooms sometimes?" Ginny asked, sitting beside her brother. Severus turned to look at her and giggled. This girl looked strangely familiar somehow.

He said 'Hi!' as chocolate pudding sat around his mouth, extending down to his bib. Ginny laughed. "Oh, how sweet!" she said, cleaning his face with the cloth.

"'Course you can Gin. You can help us read him a story before bed or something. Or maybe change his clothes." Ron chortled. She huffed but turned to talk to Severus in his lap. "How do you deal with him?" Severus just laughed and ate some more pudding.

Dinner ended and the five of them headed out of the Hall, followed shortly by a certain blonde.

He caught up with them before they reached the Seventh floor after thinking about what he was going to say, but he wasn't watching where he was going as he stared at the floor with his head in the clouds, and didn't know that the Gryffindors had realised he was following them. Because of this he ended up bumping into the older redhead and landing on the floor on his backside, the contents of his bag spreading all over the floor.

"Ouch…" He muttered, rubbing his forehead, his hair coming out of its mould with the movement. Looking up he noticed five pair of eyes on him and proceeded to glare back at them and ignored the hand Potter stretched out to him, which curiously had white marks on the outer side. He picked up the objects closest and despite the unaccepted offer of help Harry and Ginny helped him pick up the books, parchment, quills, and thankfully still whole ink bottles.

When the floor was once again devoid of his belongings he stood straight and nodded toward the other two, who handed him the rest of his things and stepped back.

"So what are you doing following us, Malfoy?" Ron spoke up, with a barely there trace of malice, little more confusion and even more suspicion.

"It's nothing that concerns you, Weasley. I must speak to Potter concerning my Head of House."

"Well, then you'll have to speak to me and Hermione about it too 'cuz we're looking after him until he's back to normal. So talk now or shove off, Malfoy." This last part was said with a more venomous approach. Severus was quiet and clung more tightly onto his very tall carrier.

The blonde narrowed his stormy grey eyes but didn't move. "I may also have...information..." He seemed reluctant to continue with the younger Weasley girl and Severus at four years old. Ginny obliged reluctantly when Potter asked her politely to go ahead and wait for them at the portrait down the corridor and to take the child with her. Then he nodded encouragingly at the blonde.

"...It's about...The Dark Lord. He is planning something that will be set into motion on a certain signal." His eyes held no hint of a lie and as far as Harry knew his mental Occlumency shields were down. His Aunt Bellatrix on his mother's side had taught him how to shield his mind and, unlike Harry's lessons with Snape which had been postponed, he had learnt fine.

"What kind of signal?" He asked, attention alert on the figure before him and the eyes looking back at him. Light grey with little flecks of a more silver-ish shade.

"I don't know. He's been speaking to my father privately for a while. Father's been looking pale and kind of sick since the last meeting but he's going to go along with it anyway; that much you can count on." Draco said.

Harry thought about what he'd said without his eyes leaving his rivals face. Why had he come to him? Was it some kind of plot, a trap perhaps? Or was it concern genuine?

"There, Harry. Now that we know for sure he's planning something for you will you please try to agree about a course of action or something?" Hermione spoke.

"We can't do that until we know at least some basic points of his plan, Mione." Harry admonished, continuing, "Is there anything else that you might know, Malfoy? Or even just something that you might have overheard from the other members or your friends."

Malfoy thought it over. He was silent for so long they thought he wasn't going to answer until, "Nott and Pansy were whispering together last night with Daphne, Millicent and…Some girl in Seventh year. Blaise and I were doing our homework so they thought I didn't see when they kept sneaking looks at us." He rolled his eyes.  
"I think it has something to do with one of us. The First year I asked that went past them told me they were talking about a decoy in Hogwarts and somebody's going to have to be it. The Dark Lord had demanded that…"

"What?" Ron asked for all of them. They didn't like that the blonde looked uncomfortable, shifting from right foot to left. That only meant it was either something really bad or terrifying. Then again, this was Voldemort, the most powerful insane Dark Wizard alive. He should've gotten some serious help from St. Mungo's as a kid.

"Well, he didn't hear past that but the little runt looked at me with some expression that I didn't recognise and ran off. They split up after that."

Harry was quiet and looked at the other two, silently communicating with his eyes. The other two nodded and he turned back to the Slytherin.

"What else did you come all the way to the Seventh floor for Malfoy? The truth please because a kick is all it takes and gravity does the rest for you to tumble all the way to the bottom of the staircase, and I don't care if you are a Malfoy and a pureblood."

The Draco stared at him angrily. "I wish to see my godfather, Potter, and I don't care what you or the headmaster say."

"Is that so? Because he told me you'd want to check on him and he said we let you."

"That's not fair, Potter, I demand to—wait, what?" Draco stopped shouting and once more stared at the trio with a very unMalfoy-ish expression.

"Dumbledore said you could help us look after him since you know more about him than we would." Ron didn't look at all happy as he mentioned this to the other boy but Malfoy, after a moment to let the info sink in, seemed to glow a little, like there was liquid moonlight under his pale skin.

"I suppose it's a good thing that we have more than enough classes with the Slytherins then, don't you think boys?" Hermione said. The boys rolled their eyes.

"Anyway we have to get going. Get Severus into bed and stuff." Ron said, he turned toward the rooms but didn't move, waiting for the other two.

"So guys, since we're going to be working together we're going to have to act more civilised toward each other. We don't want Little Sev to pick up any bad habits do we?" Hermione's gaze stayed longer on Ron than on the other two but everyone agreed. When they left, they said their goodnight's to the other in a courteous manner and left for their rooms.

OxoXoxO

"So tell me what that was about." "Yea, Tew'us!"

"He wanted to see Severus."

"That's it?" "Boy wanna see me?"

"No but the rest is not for you; it's a secret. Yes, Sev he wanted to see you."

"Why is it secret? Tell me."

"It's secret because it's secret and that's it and if you want to know you have to do something for it."

"Uh-huh. Yeah, like what?"

"Go out of the castle."

Pause.

"Yeah?" Wary.

"Go down to the Great Lake."

"Ok?"

"And kiss the Giant Squid."

Squeal. "Ew, that's gross!"

"Ronald!"

"Nobody wants to kiss the Squid, mate."

"Wossa Gian Skid?"

"That's why we're not telling you sis." Ron flopped onto the crimson sofa with the boy in his arms as Hermione pointed her wand to the hearth and lit a large fire. Harry sat in the cushioned armchair and leaned back as Ginny placed herself on the large bean bag close to the warmth of the fire and Hermione chose the other armchair.

"Wossa Gian Skid?" Severus asked again impatiently, not liking being ignored.

"The Giant Squid is a big fish thing that lives in the Great Lake, Sev." Ginny explained. Her hair glowed in the light of the fire creating a red halo on her head. "The Great Lake is the very big pool of water outside. We can show you sometime, maybe on the weekend if the weather's nice."

"That's a great idea, Ginny! We could have a picnic, too." Hermione looked thrilled at the suggestion and everyone could see the wheels already turning in her head, planning the day out and making alternatives and back ups in case anything went wrong.

"We could take our brooms and go flying too. What do you think, Harry?" Ron beamed at the idea.

"I wanna fy too! I wanna fy too!" Severus was sat on Ron's stomach so he got the wind knocked out of him when the kid started to bounce in excitement. "Ok, Ok! Stop!" He stopped.

"We'll see, Severus, ok sweetie? We have to make sure you don't get hurt or fall off or anything, of course." Hermione added the last quickly so as not to upset him. Kids can start to cry very easily.

"Sure, Sev. You can ride on my broom with me; I'll make sure you won't fall off." Harry smiled and Severus grinned back.

The other three stared at him as if he'd grown an extra head, faces flushing brighter than the fire in the hearth.

"What?" Harry looked between the three of them, confused.

Sometimes that boy was just too innocent for his own good.

OxoXoxO

A/N. I think if the details make the chapters so long then I have the next one or two chapters already planned out. Planned, but not written. And now my memory stick isn't working properly so I can't switch the file to the computer when it's up and done on my laptop. So since I don't have my full-of-imagination-and-creative late nights anymore until it works again it'll take a week to write it and then some to edit. Especially since i kinda get distracted with the internet very easily. :long pained sigh: thats one thing that got me into trouble a lot at school. with the ICT teacher in particular.

Review if you want to. Flames are welcome, just put it in a PM or email please. Suggestions and idea are also welcome. y'know, whatever floats yer boat.


	6. Chapter 5 Revelations

A Harry Potter Fanfiction

By Shadow

Warnings: Read in previous chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own the HP Cast. All things that you recognize from the books belong to Ms. JKR. Other wise they belong to me, unless I borrowed it without realizing from someone else.

Pairings: main: SS/HP like a brotherly relationship I think, SS/RL might be similar, RW/HG HP/?? In later chapters

A/N - this one had trouble traveling on my memory stick; like going on a roller coaster right after having lunch. It kept splurging on everything on the file and puking up some kinda messed up languages but I managed it to get it on my desktop. yay!

A/N 2 - Edited so that the Dream part is clearer.

Enjoy Peoples!

OxoXoxO

"_The Great Lake is the very big pool of water outside. We can show you sometime, maybe on the weekend if the weather's nice."_

"_That's a great idea, Ginny! We could have a picnic, too." Hermione looked thrilled at the suggestion and everyone could see the wheels already turning in her head, planning the day out and making alternatives and back ups in case anything went wrong._

"_We could take our brooms and go flying too. What do you think, Harry?" Ron beamed at the idea._

"_I wanna fy too! I wanna fy too!" Severus was sat on Ron's stomach so he got the wind knocked out of him when the kid started to bounce in excitement. "Ok, Ok! Stop!" He stopped._

"_We'll see, Severus, ok sweetie? We have to make sure you don't get hurt or fall off or anything, of course." Hermione added the last quickly so as not to upset him. Kids can start to cry very easily._

"_Sure, Sev. You can ride on my broom with me; I'll make sure you won't fall off." Harry smiled and Severus grinned back._

_The other three stared at him as if he'd grown an extra head, faces flushing brighter than the fire in the hearth._

_"What?" Harry looked between the three of them, confused._

_Sometimes that boy was just too innocent for his own good._

OxoXoxO

"But I'm not seepy."

"I don't care if you're not sleepy, Severus, you will go to bed."

"But wha' bout monsters, Hawwy?"

"What about monsters, Sev?" He could hardly tell him they weren't real as that would be lying.

"They might twy to eat me! I dunna be eated Hawwy!"

"They can't eat you, Sev, because there are no monsters in this castle."

"You not say is no such fing as monsters yike you 'posed to!"

"Where does it say we're supposed to do that?"

"Ron, that's not how you comfort a child. You are so tactless!"

"But Hermione I always left this part to mum or dad!"

Hermione huffed and picked Severus up, rocking him in her arms and mumbling little comforts to him. After fifteen minutes not only wasn't he asleep but now he was sitting and crying on his bed while the two girls and Ron were in a heated whispered argument. Harry meanwhile was looking through the trunk of stuffed animals in the nursery next door and came back to the room with a soft green and brown patterned snake and a small brown teddy bear.

"What happened this time?" He asked, walking to the group beside the bed.

"We can't get him to sleep. We tried singing to him, Harry; singing!" Ron ears were red which meant that he was under lots of stress. Harry wouldn't have been surprised if he got white hair by the end of the week.

"Did you give him some warm milk?" the youngest of the trio asked as he held the toddler and rocked him, still crying in his lap but now cuddling the bear.

"Ah, that's what we were missing! I'll go get it." Hermione exclaimed and hurried out of the room toward the kitchen area.

The redheads sat down on either side of the pair as Severus snuggled closer to the raven-haired teen, his pale skin standing out magnificently against the black pyjamas he wore, a long sleeved thick cotton shirt, and trousers with green hems and dancing dragons on each.

Hermione came back moments later looking incredulous. "I think the kitchen is just for appearances or something because there is nothing in cupboards or refrigerator!"

"Ok, we can probably stock them later on, but right now how about an easier way to get the milk?" Harry said.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Dobby!" He called the last part.

Pop

"Mister Harry Potter, sirs! What is sirs and misses needs from Dobby?"

"Damn, I should have thought of that…" Hermione cursed under her breath so that Severus didn't hear, which was a good idea because the boy had sat up and stopped crying once he saw the odd unfamiliar little creature. He got down on the floor and stepped closer to inspect him. He was barely the same height compared to the elf and with his skinny little frame he looked quite small too.

He wiped the tears away and leaned closer but ran back into Harry's legs when Dobby moved toward him slightly. Harry picked the boy up and directed a request to the elf.

"We'd like a sippy cup full of warm milk for Little Sev here, please, Dobby."

"Yes Mister Harry Potter, sirs." He disappeared with another pop and returned minutes later with the desired sippy-cup. "Is there anything else, sirs and misses?"

"No, we're fine thank you Dobby." Ginny dismissed him politely and he left, for the kitchens presumably.

After that no body talked so that they didn't keep him awake but watched the little boy's eyelids lower and his breathing even out. The left quietly as Harry gently put him in his crib and followed.

"Now that our little boy is sleeping, we can make a start on our homework." Harry and Ron groaned as Hermione retrieved her bag from her room and sent the boys to get theirs. Ginny left for the Common room down the hall and returned with hers.

They sat on the thick deep red carpet around the large coffee table and got everything spread out. Soon the only sounds were of the wood splitting and the fire crackling in the fireplace and quills scratching parchment. Three of them sometimes asked Hermione a question on a particular area of a subject and she would give a full text-book style answer and explanation. She had to repeat it twice for them to get it down in their own words and when the rolls of parchment were given in they would receive a high mark and maybe twenty points to Gryffindor each.

Sometime in the middle of the working silence there was a loud shuffling noise and whimpering behind the door to Severus' room, making the group jump to their feet and rush to the door. Harry and Ginny stood by the door as Hermione took away the blanket and picked him up, holding him close. Ron made shushing sounds and rubbed soothing circles into his back as his girlfriend swept a hand through his silky jet black hair.

Deciding the 'parents' had it under control the younger two friends made their way back to the table and their work. They could still hear Severus sniffling and Ron was whispering to him.

"It must be a nightmare." Ginny sounded sympathetic when she looked toward the door.

"I'm sure the guys can handle it. They wouldn't have rushed in there like that if they couldn't." Harry was confident and had complete faith in his friends.

They were both only older than him by a few months, were his best friends since first year together and he always went to them if he had a problem he knew he couldn't solve on his own without getting hurt or hurting them, but sometimes he felt like they were not just being there for him, but also looking after him; caring for him the way loving older siblings did. Indeed at times they did sound, feel, talk to him like an older brother or sister would.

He knew they would be great parents when they were older, together, or apart.

"Yeah, that's probably true. They're kinda acting like parents." Ginny laughed a soft melodious sound. Like wind chimes in a gentle breeze.

"Then wouldn't that make us the brother and sister?" Harry was kind of confused; if Ron was the dad then that would make Ginny the auntie, and he would be like his best friends' son. Sure it could happen but for them all to be about the same age too would just be really uncomfortable.

"No Harry that would make us his aunt and uncle. Anything otherwise would be creepy and awkward." Ginny looked perplexed and disturbed with her friend's logic.

Harry was relieved. It must have showed own his face because Ginny giggled, then did something she must not have thought to do before doing it. She kissed him.

It was a chaste kiss, a mere pressing of the lips but it sped up their hearts and they pulled back blushing down to their necks and up to their hairlines. Of course that's when the other two walked in and stopped after one look at their faces.

"What happened?" Ron sounded as though he didn't know what to feel at the sight of them looking like they both did something shameful and awful; which in his book they did, even though he kissed Hermione all the time when he thought no one was watching.

"Did you two kiss?" Hermione looked content with this observation. She had noticed the way Harry looked at her for longer than necessary sometimes, and had known of Ginny's obvious crush on since Second year, many people had, and she had wondered when they would discover the well-known secret for themselves.

The two in question blushed even harder, if possible, and looked away from each other, before the older boy looked to Ron.

"Ron. It's not what it looked like, I swear I didn't mean for it to happen and…"- He managed before being interrupted by Ginny.

"No. It's my fault, Harry didn't do anything-"

"No, it wasn't, but-"

"Guys, stop ok?" Hermione stopped the competitive argument between them, smiling before continuing. "I'm guessing neither of you prompted it. It just happened right?"

They nodded hesitantly.

"Then it's not your fault and it's ok. Don't dwell on it for too long." Hermione pulled Ron by the arm toward the sofa before he could say anything and sat. That was when Harry finally noticed Severus in her lap, one hand clutching the back of her sweater while the other had a choke-hold on the bear on the thumb of the hand in his little mouth.

The rest of the night was spent with attempts at sending the child off to Nod Land. Lullabies didn't work; neither did bedtime stories, more milk, even in a bottle, rocking, crying only made him huddle closer and little toys that magically sang slow soothing tunes didn't succeed either.

Curfew came and went, Ginny left and it was long past Little Sev's bedtime. They decided he would have to sleep with one of the boys tonight, he might feel better being close to somebody's body heat.

Though they took turns changing into their pyjamas as one of them had to hold the kid, the nightly ablutions and everything else went quickly and smoothly. Neither talked but three heads landed on the pillows gratefully, tired and ready for sleep to take them.

OxoXoxO

_At first he thought he was still awake. Ron was snoring in the bed on his left and Severus breathing quietly beside him but it didn't feel like he was really there. He left the bed carefully for the boy not to realize he'd left, and followed the stairs. Instead of stepping onto plush carpeting he felt cold stone beneath his bare feet, and the place of the common room was occupied by a large dungeon that led to a hallway at the other end of the room._

_There was nothing of interest in the dungeon but for the fact that there was a faint smell of something familiar, so he dismissed it and strode toward the corridor, painted white so that it looked longer than it actually was._

_There was a door on either side of the wall that clicked but did not open as he turned each of the handles. This was the same for every one but the last, facing the other end of the corridor. It clicked and opened outward, revealing more stone and the cold air of a frosty winter morning. Harry only now realized that he hadn't thought to get his robe first._

_This round room was also strangely familiar, but he couldn't place a name to it. It was larger than the Great Hall, maybe even the Quidditch pitch, and there were stone levels around the room, like humongous stairs from the walls to just miles from the centre; smaller stairs led from the door to the bottom. Situated in the middle there was a wide circular raised platform, and on this stood a tall rectangular shaped object under a large white sheet that fell to the floor around the object like a woman's dress._

_Harry moved down the frost laden steps, closer, and saw the edges of the cloth mildly swaying to the breeze. But as he continued he realized there was no breeze in this area of the cathedral sized room. The cloth was moving by itself. That was when he heard the voices._

_They weren't really voices, though. More like the muffled whispers of angels, beckoning him closer. He was entranced; those unusual beautiful melodies called him closer, promised him beautiful, wondrous, empty things. His parents, Cedric, eternal pleasure, sweet death t soothe the numbness..._

_Before he knew it he was standing in front of it, reaching to grab the soft slippery fabric. This close up it looked like a thick opaque liquid mist, swirling and dancing, seducing._

_A voice from behind suddenly called for him to stop but by that time it was too late. His hand had already pulled and the feel of strange velvety satin caressed and then slipped from his fingers, and then he was looking at a person. A boy._

_But it wasn't just any boy; this boy was gauntly and thin, malnourished to the point of being nearly skeletal. His clothes were too large on him and his bird's nest of deep black hair fell into his bespectacled eyes. The right hand by his side had a squiggle of white lines on the back, scorn from hatred of lies that were truths and truths that were lies._

_There on his forehead, on oddity. A lightning bolt shaped scar, the memory of a car crash that never happened. And most precious of all, most beautiful, and sad, the most incapacitating yet unremarkable part of him. Emerald almond shaped eyes that shined with inimitable light and hope. They were known to most of the wizarding world, especially those who knew her more personally, as Lily Potter's eyes. Though continuously hurt and verbally abused by his closest living relatives in the past, these orbs were open and trusting, only the smallest of shadows to indicate the pain of being unloved._

_There was movement in the mirror, behind the reflection. There was someone in the doorway at the top of the stairs, but swirling in place, in an almost pirouette, to look up he saw no one. He looked around, the vast cavern was empty; but now that he looked it was pretty high up. He took a moment to wonder how hadn't he realized the short journey but waved it away. He had more important things._

_But looking back into the mirror Harry gasped sharply. The boy once standing there had vanished. His place now held a scene of horror, chaos and destruction. It was a solid ocean fluctuating in an invisible breath of wind with large red melting lumps on the surface of it, fires spread on or around the lumps._

_There were two people standing facing each other in the middle of this anarchy but the screams of pain and fear were not coming from them. They were silent and still as they faced the other down, standing near ten feet away from the other. One was the boy from before, only older and taller, wiser, stronger._

_The other was what looked like a man and probably was once upon a time but his features were distorted into ugly shapes, animalistic and feral. His eyes were slanted and glowed red through slitted pupils. Where there was no nose there were but two slits in the skin. The mouth was wide in a maniacal grin; teeth sharpened into fangs, for intimidation or otherwise was not clear. This man was mad._

_Then the duel began. This was no practice and there were no Seconds. This was a fight to the death in which only one would survive, even if it took decades. If it took that long Time would preserve them for this was history in the making. This would determine the future of the Wizarding and the Muggle worlds alike, for better or for worse._

_The younger began with a simple disarming hex. It missed as the other dodged and countered with a curse. The boy had put up a strong shield but the curse just passed through as if it were water. He dodged just in time and stood with only a bloody arm, had it been later and it would have cut straight through his left shoulder. They traded jinxes, hexes and curses, the Unforgivables occasionally added into the mix, dodging them if they were particularly strong and broke through the shield._

_After a lucky dive the man finally spoke._

_"You have improved, Potter," His voice was hoarse and throaty as if he had been screaming for hours on end. "But you are hardly Dumbledore." And he laughed, a hair raising, rattling sound._

_The boy, Potter, ignored him and didn't speak but he tightened the grip on his wand at mention of the name. He fired off another curse which was deflected and then his best. The Expelliarmus spell and Avada Kadavra curse joined in Priori Incantatem once more, as it had in the graveyard of Little Hangleton. The green Light pulsed with the faith and power Potter put into it despite the others efforts pushing the ball of energy toward the other and soon won the duel. He used the elder's curse against him and finally snuffed out the life of the most powerful Dark Wizard alive._

_The Light side had won._

_After moments of silence and nothingness pale luminescent figures began to leave the bodies of the warriors who had fought bravely for their cause. Among them were a group of redheads, whose hair shone bright red still, ghostly as they were. The youngest of them, a girl, floated to the boy and kissed his cheek as farewell. Her tears were crystalline against her pale freckled face as she smiled at him, the tears dropping with the action. He smiled back to her, a sad movement and his eyes dark with remorse._

_More people joined the large congregation, a great many waving back to him before they were absorbed into the rays of sun from the partings in the clouds brightening the sky and with a flash of pure blinding white and they were gone. The fires spread to the corpses and incinerated them, letting the wind spread the ashes to the four corners of the Earth._

_He stood there doing nothing for a while, and then turned to face the younger version of himself in front of the mirror. His eyes were ancient where his body wasn't, full of a dark, terrible knowledge and experience no person his age should have had and his smile was weighted with a great destiny. Then the image faded to black and returned to the room with the boy from before but now something was different. There was somebody there._

_A girl and a boy. Siblings by the look of them, side by side and holding hands behind him. He turned around to check for another presence but once again there was nobody there. They were inside the mirror._

_He narrowed his eyes and looked closer at them and managed to make out some of the major features; they were both blonde and had perfect features, had the same height and build. They maybe even had the same eye colour but that was where the similarities ended; the only way to tell them apart was their length of hair and clothes. Both had similar clothes, a simple white dress shirt and trousers for the boy, a white short-sleeved knee length dress for the girl._

_They were beautiful, it was true, but of different kinds. The boy used his to get away with lies and tricks, Dark Magic was his calling card and it suited him. But his face was empty, indifferent, closed off and cold and it didn't befit him but made him more beautiful all the same, that much was obvious. He was staring at the raven-haired teen with what looked to him like disgust and contempt but also with wonder and curiosity._

_The girl was the Yang to her twins Yin. She was a kind and compassionate child, caring for people all. She helped others any time and put their needs before her own, and this suited her well, too, but with all of that emotion and allure in her aura and person the pain and fear in her eyes was gone unnoticed to most. Harry saw it though and sympathized with her. He knew how it felt._

_They walked slowly forward toward him and stood behind him, each clasping a shoulder. They stood that way for a while before he asked them who they were. The boy answered that that question was not necessary as he already knew them both. He realized that they looked familiar to him as well but his memory seemed to evade him in this surreal environment. He couldn't place it but he knew he had spoken to them just hours before, he just didn't see them separately._

_He thought about this and decided he would decipher it more closely later and asked them where they were. They didn't answer but dropped hands and stepped to each side of him. Behind him a woman appeared. Gaunt face, heavily lidded eyes and wild black hair, beauty and sanity had been stripped form her in Azkaban, the Wizard Prison. Bellatrix LeStrange stood in the mirror._

_That answered his question and he looked around him with widened eyes. It couldn't be; wasn't possible. But it was the dream world and in that mysterious place anything and everything was possible._

_He was in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic._

_Harry tried to step away from her despite the fact that she wasn't actually there, not out of fear but of revulsion and hate. She was remorseless and though this wasn't real, only a dream, he didn't want to give her a reason to find out if death was possible here._

_She wasn't able to hurt him physically, but he, and Bellatrix, found the Mirror allowed her to inflict damage on his reflection and it appeared on him. It was as if the world had gone backward as it moved forward._

_Deciding that this was enough, he dodged the other attacks and ran for the door, not seeing the twins fade away after the girl gave him a sad smile._

_She was only feet away from him before he slammed the door and leaned against it. It clicked and he waited but no sounds came through. There was no bang of collision or smacking of fists. Just silence._

_He resolved to himself that he wouldn't take any chances for more attacks and made his way back to the Common room at the end. He didn't see the faint identical pairs of eyes from the sofa in front of the hearth, the fire out but the embers still burning bright._

_What he found in the dormitory though was not the way he left it. Ron was on his bed trying to calm the hysterical person in the sheets that swallowed them like water, shouting and sobbing. They were fighting an invisible enemy and Ron was only in the way. He looked around and found Hermione with her head down tightly holding a tearful Little Severus, who must have been woken up by the screams; they were standing against the wall next to the stairs._

_Harry instinctively knew what to do. He didn't yell or shout as it would do nothing to help the situation. When he paced to the four-poster and pulled, the sheets fell from the form instantly, without drag, and he stared. It was him that Ron was trying to wake, shaking and yelling loud enough to burst the ear drums but still it went on, the sleeping Harry thrashing and shouting and crying, eyes closed tight but the tears leaked anyway._

_While watching this episode an unusual but interesting thought blinked into his mind, like a light it did. Comically a shining light bulb appeared over his head, he waved it away and it wisped away like smoke._

_He inched forward, though careful as he was he discovered that 'his' limbs went right through him; no wonder they couldn't see him. He waited for the perfect moment to appear as to do as he needed the body had to be still._

_Minutes crawled by and still he writhed and jerked, when finally after little more than thirty minutes had passed, Ron managed a safe hold on his friend. He took this chance to descend himself inside the body, aligning himself in the same way and places but it was awkward. It was like swimming around in thin diluted jelly or something equally slimy and resilient._

He got it eventually and the atmosphere settled down. The redhead held him closely as if he were a young fragile child and spoke nonsensical soothing things into his ear, but he didn't open his eyes. The only other sounds were of Severus' breathing calming down, along with his own harsh pants trickling to soft puffs.

He finally opened his eyes to find that he was in the same position; nothing seemed to have changed.

"Ron?" His voice was harsh and his throat felt torn as he sat up but didn't try to get out of the hold.

"Harry, you're awake! Thank Merlin, we were so worried when you didn't hear us and you still didn't open your eyes after a whole two hours…" Ron enveloped him in a fierce hug, almost leaving him no room to breathe.

"Ron, I need oxygen to live, thanks." Harry squeezed out. The red head loosened up, looking worried and apologized. "What happened?" He asked when he was comfortable again. Hermione had approached after he had woke up and hugged him gently, while Severus had also ran to hug him and now sat on the floor in front of them and held one of hands.

Ron answered in a grave voice, reminiscent of Dumbledore when he sensed there was danger ahead.

"Severus woke me up a few hours ago and told me there was something wrong with you. I went to check and you were mumbling something that I couldn't make out and it looked like you were having a seizure or something; you were all pale and your skin was cold and clammy. I tried to wake you up but then you started thrashing about. You only just woke up now."

The dark haired teen shivered causing Hermione to reach over to the bed to grab a blanket and wind it around him, as an afterthought she grabbed her boyfriend's wand and weaved in a warming charm and a charm to monitor the younger boy's temperature.

"So how long was I like that?" Harry leaned into his friend's chest and breathing slowly and deeply. His throat was very sore and his voice was scratchy.

"About four hours, I think. It's five in the morning. How about some hot chocolate or something to help you throat?" Ron called Dobby and ordered three mugs and a sippy-cup of the warm chocolate drink with marshmallows.

They stayed like that until Little Severus fell asleep in Hermione's lap so she put him in Ron's bed and sat back down; they didn't move until the first signs of day break were floating through the window.

It was soon almost time for the castle to wake up for the day so the trio went to their bathrooms and showered, went through their morning ablutions and breakfasted in the dorm with a freshly woken Severus. They decided they wouldn't eat in the Hall but go down anyway, maybe for the _Daily Prophet_ and to talk the Headmaster about Harry's nightmare. What they didn't count on was some news from a surprise source.

OxoXoxO

A/N I've been thinking. If Astrology is about the stars, planets, sun and moon affecting the affairs of humans why is the Astronomy Tower named so? And what's the difference?  
I've been reading the dictionary/thesaurus a lot for past weeks for help with this story, but it didn't help much with this.

This part I want to ask you readers because I can't think of a way to go about it. Basically by how much do you think Little Sevvie should age, how often and by what method?

2 years every month? That would take him 22 by June the next year and I'll make him say...36, he would be his rightful age in the January of Harry's Seventh Year. He would remember everything that happened and sometimes get certain memories from his 'past' life. He would also mistake some people for who they looked like at his then age. For example, Draco for Lucius etc. etc. He would also have time to get to know Harry more in his own age and stuffs.

4 years every maybe...four months? He would end up 16 by September of next year. Or maybe every three months? By my calculations (I hate maths and it seems to hate me, so I'm very sorry if my calculations are wrong and tell me where if you see a mistake) that would make him his age when Harry is going on 18 so that's out of the question; there would be no time for any real bonding, if at all.

And the method? I think I already wrote here that Dear Professor Slughorn gives them an Aging Potion for him. That could work until the darker forces in the story come into play. After that there may be some kind of change, so there's such thing as too many options.

Oh I also forgot to mention that their will be an OC for that years DADA teacher. I have no plans for her yet but she will teach them everything Snape taught in HBP. Once I get my hands on a flippin' copy of it...

Anyway Reviews are appreciated, Constructive Criticism is greatly acknowledged and Flames are welcomed with open arms. Any questions and/or suggestions will be fine, too.

Thank You

xx Shadow xx


	7. Chapter 6 What I Think

Chapter 6

Warnings are in the first few chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I make any profit from simply borrowing the works of Ms. JK Rowling. If there is something within this story that does not belong to her it belongs to me.

A/n Sorry I didn't update faster. I get side-tracked pretty easily and details are getting scarce but at least it's up now! This is in place for the next chapter as I can't think of much for it. If it still escapes me then I might do another chapter In Sev's POV depending on how this one works for you guys.

Remember: If you guys don't tell me what you like and/or dislike, then I can't improve the story, can I?

You can even Flame me if you want, it will only tell me what I can do to improve, so thanks ;p

OxoXoxO

Severus' POV

When I woke up the first day I couldn't see anything but a funny kind of darkness. Not the laughing funny, like when father isn't at home all day and mother and I have time to ourselves and I unknowingly say something that causes her to laugh funny, or the kind of funny where father thinks he's got me where he wanted and knows he can beat me without me wriggling all over the place and he has complete control funny and he's sort of laughing hysterically, not that I'd call that humorous, but funny in a different wierd kind of way. In a way not normal by normal standards, if that makes sense.

The darkness was shimmering with a shimmery light, like tiny invisible fairies that show their natural glow but it's muted or muffled because there's some thin fabric infont of it. Or maybe more like the way water shimmers. Clear, beautiful, unpoluted spring river water and how it shimmers in the light of the sun. That's what I've been told anyway by some of the older children in Spinners End. The river over the hill and a few streets from our house is brown and muddy and it doesn't sparkle in sunlight, unless there's broken pieces of glass or mirror in it.

The darkness felt like mud, had the weight of it too, or something very squishy that oozed through my fingers. Some of the stuff was in my mouth and it tasted awful, like one of the disgusting things Father made me eat for his amusement when there was nothing left but unfilling scraps.

I didn't panic but after moments of lying on hard, cold ground I felt my body catch up with my mind, and despite the lack of light I felt blinded by the awful headache that seemed to split my head in two. I whimpered but it didn't seem to penetrate the black void in front of me. I lay still waiting for the pain to dull like it always did but it only did minutely.

I stayed impatiently a little bit longer, but after it seemed like it wasn't going to recede further I moved my arms to check for stiffness. They were indeed stiff, my legs too, but I simply moved them around to warm them up. The problem there was that, apparently the goo-like mud slowed my movements, like swimming through jelly.

There was a muffled scream somewhere to my bottom left. This was when a thought hit me like a cold ball of snow to the face in winter.

I was in unfamiliar territory.

My movements became more jerky and I pulled and pushed at the offending darkness, trying to find someway out wherever I was. I felt something soft and damp move around me and I jumped - well, as much as could while lying on my back.

I felt around for the thing that touched me and found it on my arm and then all around me, partially shielding me from the gross substance. They were large, loose clothes, far too big for my small skinny frame.

As I moved around the clothes moved and fell all over me, dragging the mud with it and, I realised, it was sticky and warm. It stuck around my mouth as I tried to breathe in some air, but it constricted in my throat and stuck fast. Then I tried to inhale through my nose but it was too much. I was starting to lose air when -

- I breathed deeply, great lungfuls of cold air that stung and I coughed. The darkness had been lifted away. Well the heaviness had lifted, and though it was still dark there was some light filtering through something that looked like thick material. The clothes.

There was a loud hasty tapping sound against stone coming toward me and suddenly someone was grabbing at the folds around me. A high girly-ish voice said something and whoever - or whatever - had been moving the fabrics slowed down but no less urgently kept trying to find a gap. They finally found one and I closed my eyes against the bright light. The cloth was quite thick and had kept back the stark contrast from me.

It took about a minute of blinking away the little dots and stars with my hand in front of my eyes to get used to the sudden brightess, then removing my hand a pair of green stones looked right at me.

I started and blinked again; closer inspection told me that the stones were eyes. Looking around them I found round glasses perched on a straight nose, small pink lips and the blackest hair I'd ever seen, including mine and Father's.

Now that I thought about it and looked closer, those eyes looked really familiar and had a very strong feeling behind them, but I couldn't remember either from where. I pushed it to the back of my mind for later reviewing.

The tall boy with the green eyes looked at me unusually, as if worried about me. But that was impossible, because the only person I knew who ever got worried about _me_ was Mummy. Father drank too much of that bad smelling water that made him talk funny to care and the rest of the village ignored me unless they thought I was doing something wrong, even when it was one of the other children that did it.

I wondered who he was, but it's no good wondering something if it doesn't get you anywhere, so I asked him.

"Who you?"

I was still working on improving my speech but I didn't think it was so poor that everyone had to gasp as it.

The boy answered me with a funny face. Again, the _weird_ funny, not the _funny_ funny. He had a deeper voice than mine, I noticed first.

"Er, I'm Harry Potter. This is Ron Weasley," he pointed to another boy, but this one was taller and had bright red hair and little spots all over his face, "And this is Hemione Granger." There was a girl wih lots of fuzzy hair and the same kind of caring eyes as my mummy, "Who are you?"

I repeated after him, pointing to the owners of the names, then pointed to myself and told them my name.

"I Sevwus Snape." I pointed to myself.

For some odd reason there were a lot of other big people at the other side of the room. There were two groups and they were separated, each standing on either side of the big wooden door. One group were standing tall but their eyes were bulging from their faces; they were wearing long black dress things with green bits in them.

The other group were laughing loudly at the other groups faces and some were looking over in my direction; they were wearing the same black dresses but these had red bits. The girls from the red group were giggling and coming over to me and the other boys and the girl.

When they were close enough, they started petting my hair and squeezing my cheeks, but the boy with the green eyes, Harry, let me hide in his dress. I felt my cheeks warming up; I'd never liked much attention as people in the street always stared at the bruises and wounds after father beat me. I think the fact that my face was probably pinched raw also helped that.

Harry was laughing at me, I could tell, though I don't suppose I could do much about it as the girls chased me around him. The other boy, Ron, I think, was laughing loudly with his hands pinned to his sides at the green group. They were staring at me too. Some of them still looked shocked but other's, especially a really tall, scary looking yellowy-white haired boy, were looking really angry. He kept looking from me to Harry to Ron and back again.

Their girl-friend, Her-My-Nee, (wierd name) was telling people that every thing was going to be ok and that their was no need to panic. Even though nobody was panicking, more like laughing their heads off. She was smiling.

Some time later, an hour it felt after it seemed those girls would never leave me alone but I'm sure it wasnt that long, a really, really, really old man came in with an old lady, probably his wife but she didn't have white hair so she must be younger, and a chubby looking boy. He looked scared.

"Well, what do we have here?" The old man chuckled. He had really bright blue eyes, like a bright sunny day with no clouds in the sky, but when he looked at me it like he was looking right through me, right down to my very, uh...soul, I think. Yeah, right down to my Soul!

Another boy said something to the man, he called him 'Professer Dumblydor' or something, but his eyes were looking at the girls. They went back to the wall giggling.

The really old grandad man talked to the other big boys and girls while the old lady talked to us. Or rather, she talked to the boy that was still holding me and his two friends. She looked at me once or twice so that I knew she wasn't ignoring me but didn't say anything to me.

Her-My-Nee started talking something really long and fast with long words that I couldn't follow, so I ignored them and decided to look around at my surroundings instead.

We appeared to be in a dark cold room made of big stones. Did I mention it was cold? With the clothes that didn't fit me all loose and hanging off of me, along with the gross stuff that stuck to me, which I see now is something like orange jelly, mixed with some dark blue-purple-ish mud, the wind kind of caught, making me shiver slightly. I ignored it though, as much as I could.

The old lady said something to the really old man after telling the other kids to go to their next lesson. I was still trying to figure out what Charms was when she began to explain to the old man what Her-My-Nee said, but with less long words so that I got the general gist of it, and then she asked to look at me. Why? I have no idea, but she picked me up from Harry and started to look at my arms, legs, face, tummy and back for something. I don't think she found it, her lips went really small.

"Fascinating, fascinating. This is quite a conundrum. Well, then, we will have to put some plans together, won't we?" Said the man in a funny voice as he also observed me. The others merely looked at him strangely, then expectantly. I did the same, since everyone seemed to look up to the guy. (Literally, he was taller than everyone in the room really.)

Another lady came in through the big door at the end where the other people had left from. She looked nicer than the old lady and she was wearing a white dress with an apron thing and a funny little hat. She looked at everyone and when her eyes fell on me she tutted and shook her head.

"Really. It seems no-one can attend this school for one year without something or other going wrong." She expressed amusedly, her lips tugging up in a smile.

Everone laughed but me. I had no idea what she was talking about, nor at what or why they were laughing.

She got a stick and held it over me, sliding it down in front of my body as the old lady held me out, one arm around me under each of my arms, with my back against her front and one under my bum to hold me up. The lady with the stick said some funny words very quietly.

"He's healthy, if a little bit malnourished." she started to the older people, "His bones are weak, his blood is thin but only slightly more than normal, his muscles are recovering from the de-aging process and will be for about three to four days. He'll be quite sore in the morning. He may complain about stomach cramps and a rather painful headache for a couple of days. There's nothing to do for those except a numbing potion for which I am currently out of stock, unfortunately. The only person I know capable, and qualified," she added as Ron began to interupt, "for the job is Professor Snape himself, or rather Severus now, and he is, as you can see, currently pre-occupied."

I had almost no comprehension for many of the things she said, but I did understand some words, like, _sore_, _stomach cramps_ and _painful headache_. I got those a lot in the mornings after Father had too many of his stinky yellow water drinks. He usually took his anger out on me. One time he did it right in the street but somebody stopped him when I heard a loud crack in my chest. It hurt for weeks afterward and the dark purple shape didn't fade until about a month later.

I wanted to ask where my mummy was but the grown-ups were talking and Father had told me to never interupt when grown-ups were talking. They would think I was a bad boy and they might punish me if I did.

I tried to tug at the lady's sleeve to get her attention but then my clothes started falling off my arms and shoulders. I put the sleeve back upto my shoulder but when I moved it fell down again.

"Shouldn't we shrink his clothes? They're kinda big for him." Harry said this to the general vicinity, at which the grandad flicked his stick at me, I flinched minutely, and and the giant mass of black began to shorten and shrink until they fit snugly on my form. They were pretty cozy too. A black button up shirt thingy, black trousers and an open front dress. My feet were bare though.

"I will need to keep him in the hospital wing in the case of some other side effect happening in the middle of the night and to apply some salve to the required areas in the morning." The lady with the white dress and apron continued. "After that somebody needs to take care of him until we find some antidote from this." Again everyone turned to the Headmaster who had a smile in place of the frown that had taken residence when she was talking earlier about me having a headache in the morning.

"Why don't we ask young Severus here whom he wants to take care of him? Go ahead, child." Mr. Grandad asked.

I looked at Mr Grandad and then around at everyone else and finally to Harry, who was holding me since the old lady had passed me back to him when they were done talking about some stuff.

I was never asked what I wanted before but it felt nice to be acknowledged. If I'd said I wanted something before I was either laughed at by Father or Mummy said that she wanted to but couldn't get it for me because Father would take it and burn it or throw it into the nasty dead river.

I had started to feel tired and my eyes were itching for sleep. I decided that the three smaller grown-ups woulld take care of me nicely, as the other three looked like they were much too busy to stop their work for a little thing like me.

Father often hit mummy too when she tried to stop him hurting me. Then she cried and her eyes went all red when I cried for him to stop hurting mummy. But he only hurt her more until she fell asleep and didn't hear anything anymore till the sky was bright.

Sometimes the man made me sleep outside when the white stuff fell from the sky and it was cold and wet and nobody came to help us. It was horrible.

I mumbled 'Them' and pointed before snuggling my face into Harry's warm dress thingy and his jumper.

It was so warm that whatever the adults said next sounded fuzzy and far away and then everything went dark.

OxoXoxO


	8. Chapter 7: Discovering surroundings?

**Chapter 7**

_You must know the warnings already, having come this far. If not: Slash (__male x male) relationships __in later chapters__, mild swearing. There's another one-kind of- but it's a surprise for later. I might tell if you ask._

_Disclaimer: You must also already know that I don't own, nor do I make any profit from simply borrowing the works of Ms. JK Rowling. If there is something within this story that does not belong to her it belongs to me._

OxoXoxO

When I woke up, I felt like I was lying in a warm and soft and fluffy cloud that was just like Mummy's hugs.

The light of early morning filtering through my eye lids found me in a huge, very comfy white bed. When I turned my head, I found I was in a huge white room, where there were many other tidy white beds further down the room to my right. I sat up and snuggled against the nice, soft cloud pillows, pulling the sheets under my arms.

I was obviously not at Spinners End. Father's house on Spinners End didn't have big beds like this, just a mattress on the floor that in the Bigger Bedroom that Father slept on. I think Mummy slept on the sofa in the small Living Room because I usually only heard one set of footsteps come upstairs but I always fell asleep before she did and she woke up far earlier than I to keep up with Father.

The house wasn't nearly this bright, either. Father often forgot to pay the 'Lekticity bill or didn't have enough money ready to pay for it because he was always at the Smelly place drinking funny water, so there was no light at night time. Because of this, I often fell down the stairs when I was first learning to walk at five or six and hurt my arm or tummy, or when I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and wasn't paying particular attention.

I looked around the long room, in the other beds. Harry wasn't in here; I was all alone. I was starting to panic and was about to leave the bed when the lady with the funny hat and the white dress came out from a room on the left at the other side of the room. She hurried over to my bed. I sighed in relief but tensed; here was someone that I could trust because Harry trusted her, but that didn't mean I could let her come near me. She could be just like Father for all anybody knew.

"How lovely, Severus, you're awake! I'm just going to do some painless tests and then we can get some yummy food inside your tummy." I relaxed minutely at 'painless'.

"Where's Hawwy?" I asked softly. Father never let me ask questions. He believed asking questions was too much of a nuisance, whatever that was. If I asked him something, even without thinking he'd punch me really hard, lot of times. He used the belt when he was in an especially bad mood.

The lady smiled nicely and told me that Harry was probably in bed because it was too early for lessons to start yet. I frowned. Why wasn't I with him?

I asked the lady this and she said that this was the place where people came when they were hurt or when there was something wrong with them. I was here because I might be sick and they wanted to see if I was anything wrong with my body. I was allowed to stay with Harry tonight when they picked me up.

She waved the stick thing over me and asked if I hurt anywhere. Until she had asked, I hadn't really felt much. It was like the pain was in the background waiting for me to realize that it was there before it pounced and hurt me. It was a surprise attack.

I found myself groaning loudly with the incredible migraine that had suddenly erupted. I almost could feel the axe pulling itself out and slamming itself back into my brain.

If I managed to ignore the pain from my head long enough, which made it only more painful, I found _slightly_ lesser pains in my back and arms and legs. My bones felt like they had broken to pieces and put themselves back together haphazardly, slipping out of place with all the excessive glue. My back felt stretched and kind of crooked. My eyes stung and watered. Even my hair hurt.

My stomach complained that I had swallowed a ton of rocks and maybe some clothes.

Mummy told me once that I had swallowed a small piece of fabric she had been using, though she was surprised and slightly amused of _how_, and it had given me painful cramps while my stomach digested it. She gave me some Cod Liver Oil to make it easier to 'leave'. I hardly recognized it a couple days later.

The lady left for about six seconds and when she returned she gave me a bottle which she straight away pressed to my lips. I couldn't exactly protest as I was sort of pre-occupied with my splitting headache, but if I had known what it would do, I would have snatched it from her and washed it down faster than water to a thirsty dying man. It didn't taste nearly as good as water though.

After three seconds of the sludge travelling down my throat and another two and a half in my stomach I felt the effects almost instantaneously.

The axe stopped hammering. The rocks and clothes dissolved. My bones got surgeons and my muscles returned to normal.

The pain virtually vanished but there was what felt like imprints of it still there, like it had left its mark.

After that, I accepted any bottle that she presented to me, even the one's that smelled like Father's socks. Those made me retch. A lot of the other bottles that I saw in her cupboard on the wall to the left of my bed were simple little things with stoppers on the top. They seemed to range from sizes of my full hand to my pinkie, all colours bright and dull.

The Sun was a little bit higher in the sky when Breakfast came.

Breakfast was more food on one tray than I had ever eaten in a week in my life.

There were two pieces of toast with strawberry jam spread next to a plate of bacon and eggs. There was also a choice of cereal and porridge with honey, alongside a sippy-cup of milk and another of pumpkin juice.

I went with the toast and the bacon and eggs, with pumpkin juice to wash it down. The last of it vanished after about ten minutes, probably. Mummy showed me how to tell the time last year, but it took me ages to get it.

I didn't know what to do with the rest of the food. I was happily full and couldn't eat another bite, but I didn't want to waste the rest of it. Father only let me have what he didn't finish and he often wiped the plate clean. This was mostly a little disgusting as Mummy only cleaned the dishes when we got washing soap and it and the money ran out quickly.

I was contemplating what to do with the rest of it when the lady came over again.

"Full already, Severus? Well let's get you to sleep then, Ok, sweetheart?" She waved the stick and everything vanished! Didn't she want to save it? What if the food ran out and there wasn't any left?

'_The food can't run out, Sevvie, it doesn't have legs.'_ My stupid voice came to me at the dumbest times, but I always listened to it because it sounded like Mummy, even if it didn't talk the way she did. It also had the same rusty and coarse laugh like Father had when he drank a lot, like he hadn't talked for a long time.

The lady gave me a white little bottle with light blue liquid inside it.

"It's a Dreamless Sleep potion, Severus. It's so that you don't get any bad dreams."

I liked the sound of that. I always got bad dreams at Spinner's End and sometimes I would stay up all night so that I wouldn't see them again. Father hit me more often the day after because I was too tired to stay awake.

The Hat Lady tucked me in and I fell into darkness almost immediately after.

OxoXoxO

The Hat Lady woke me periodically for every meal. The minute I woke up and remembered where I was again, I asked her if Harry had come to see me and every time she said 'no'.

She gave me another Sleeping Potion, not Dreamless since she thought that because of my age and stature it would be easy for me to possibly get addicted to the potions.

She finally said 'yes' the next morning, saying that they had come by to see me after dinner. She said that they had had lessons all day and needed to attend so that they could pass their Big Important Tests that would determine the rest of their lives. That sounded pretty important to me, so I wasn't _too_ upset.

I was eating breakfast the next morning when they came in. I pushed my bacon and eggs away and ran towards them. Ron was in front so I hugged him first, eager to get away from this infuriatingly boring place despite the Lady's niceness.

I reached up my arms and he picked me up, making funny faces at the two behind him leaned against each other, laughing their heads off. They sounded like they were choking.

The Lady came out of the room next to the cupboard and laughed at the picture. I still didn't get what was so funny, but my lips were twitching. She moved to the potions.

"Ready to pick him up are you? He hasn't been able to sit still for very long since waking up despite his aches and soreness; some fresh air will do him good." The Lady said as she took two corked glass thingies, one red the other green, and a tube and gave them to Her-My-Nee, who put them in a bag against her hip.

I giggled at the Lady's words. They were pretty true; I never like staying in one place too long.

"The red vial is for his muscles; put a few drops of that in his juice or whatever he drinks in the morning. The green is for his head aches which you give to him before bed, the same; a couple of drops. Come back to me after a fortnight for another two. The salve is to rub onto his skin after a bath."

Wait. Did she say bath? _Uh-oh_. I tried to get out of Ron's arms as unnoticeably as possible, but Ron kept his grip.

"That's for his bones. His lack of nutrition, stomach cramps and blood is something that we must to fix with food.

"Now, it's just like what everybody else has to eat. The thing with children is that they copy everything they see and hear, so that means that you three will need to do it as well to set a good example. And I wouldn't mind saying that you two," she directed at the two darker haired teens, "look like you need it. Especially you, Mr. Potter. Don't think of it as a diet either, merely as a healthier lifestyle choice."

I had no idea what she had said, but it wouldn't have mattered because I was thinking of how to get out of the bath situation. I saw something appear out of the corner of my eye and looked in the direction of it. The Lady had her stick in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. Where did that come from?

"Sweets can be consumed but only on occasion. Don't use it as a reward or a bribe, or such, otherwise it could get ugly."

"Sweeties!!" I perked up at the mention of sweets. Father never let me have any usually, for any reason. The adults smiled.

Her-My-Nee checked the list over. "Madam Pomfrey, have you found out anything about an antidote for him, yet?"

What's an aunty-dote?

"I'm sorry, dear, but you'll have to speak to the headmaster about that."

Who's the Head master? What does he do with heads?

"Ok, then. Right now we'll have to get Sev changed and go or we'll be late for History of Magic."

Ron groaned.

What?

OxoXoxO

_History of Magic with the Ravenclaws._

Boring is all I can say about this place. Why did Harry and Ron come here?

The little-er grown-ups in this class that wore dresses with red bits on them sat at the back. Some were talking with their eyes closed and goo coming out of their mouths. Others were staring at the walls or out of the windows.

Personally I think the time in there was better used when I took one of Ron's paper's, rolled it up and threw it at the floaty man. I don't think either minded. Ron was playing something weird with Harry on another piece of paper, and Mr. Floaty didn't say anything.

I missed a lot and the one's that were on target went right through Mr. Floaty but I guess I wasn't doing anything wrong if everyone was chuckling at it so it kept doing it. The Little Grown-ups with the blue dresses didn't seem to like it but they didn't say anything either. My-Nee looked like she didn't know whether stop me or...do something nice. I'm not sure.

OxoXoxO

When the bell rang, Ron ran out of the class so fast he forgot to take some of his things. My-Nee took them while Harry got his things and held my hand as he tried to catch up with the red-head. We finally got to him at the bottom of the Magic Stairs that moved.

"Merlin, that was awful!"

"Merlin can't hear you Ron." My-Nee said. She was tidying her long dress and her bag. Then she started onto my clothes but I was too busy bent over, hands on knees and panting harshly. My dark hair was sticking to my face and neck. "Besides, you shouldn't have run so fast, Severus looks like he's about to have a heart attack!" I'm sure I wasn't even if I knew what that was.

"Er, right, Hermione. What's next lesson, again?" Ron said, setting off when we had all caught our breath.

"Care of Magical Creatures," Harry answered looking at his timetable. "With the Slytherins."

"I can already see that going well." Ron mumbled to him. Harry rolled his eyes but smiled all the same. I don't think they liked the Sylva-wins.

OxoXoxO

There were a lot of people standing on the grass when we got down to the scary looking trees. In front of the whole group was a really, really, _really_ big man. He had a black beard that looked like he had never bothered to keep it tidy with hair the same and little black looking eyes. He had hands the size of dustbin lids and a feet the size of baby dolphins. Mummy told me that she had never seen dolphins but the baby's were bigger than me.

There were two separate crowds, one red, and the other green. I didn't see the tall boy with the white hair and grey eyes.

The Big Man was already talking to the other peoples when we got with in hearing range, but we managed to get the last of what he said. "...Well t'day, we'll be lookin' a' somethin' real special, see. We'll 'ave to go into the Fores' to see i' though. Now you've gotta be real careful, y' don' wan' 'a scare 'em off, 'cause even if they don' look i' they're frigh'ened eas'ly, they are." Then he grabbed the large bag with strings at his feet, which was stained with what looked horrifyingly like dried, congealed, and also fresh dripping blood, and started toward an area of trees.

I began to giggle silently at the Big Mans talking, nervous at the sight of the blood. Harry shushed and held my hand firmly, but neither of us wiped the smirk or childish grin off of our face.

The class followed the giant man into the forest, sticking close to him. The green people almost completely blended in with the scenery.

I stumbled on something on the dirt floor and decided that I might get lost if I stayed down here, so stood in front of Ron and held out my arms to him.

"Can't you walk?" The red head had said like he was angry as he held me under my arms and picked me up, setting me on his hip. I shook me head at the question and then proceeded to suck my thumb and lay my head on the older boys shoulder, wrapping my other arm around his neck. I wrapped my legs around his waist for good measure.

My-Nee and the other girls in red dresses and some in green _'awwed'_ while the rest in green began to gag, making some of the guys laugh.

There were a lot of scary sounds in this place. Even if it was probably a very small thing, it echoed off of the trees and reverberated around the forest.

I started to tremble and held onto Ron tighter and hid my face in his hood.

OxoXoxO

After about ten minutes of walking through trees that began to quickly thicken and then thin again, they came to a clearing, nobody going to the centre but keeping away from the edges as well, lest some unplanned beast came by and picked them off silently.

The big man, Hagrid, Harry said, though, kept on going until he stood in the middle and, after looking back at the gathered class once, cooed some kind of crude wordless lullaby at something on the other side. The seconds ticked by and nothing happened yet Hagrid kept at it and moments later, something rustled in the shrubs at the other end of the circular area. It paused for a moment while Hagrid continued and then broke through the line of greenery and jungle.

Many of the students gasped softly, remembering the half-Giants warning before; the ones nearer the front retreated a few steps, while the braver took a couple forward to take a better look. I didn't look up until someone scream softly and stared, wide-eyed at the creature that had emerged.

It had large torn-looking leather wings folded over its back, tall as a horse with a similar looking head but almost completely covered in fur and large ears that twitched with every sound that the huddled teenagers made. It looked quite emaciated if the four spindly bare legs were anything to go by and what looked like ribs and a spine sticking through the coarse black hairs. It had a tail, though, that resembled something that ought to belong to a rodent but had a small tuft of fur at the end, out of which protruded a single small curved scorpion's spike.

Overall, it looked like the offspring of an experimented Thestral that had breeded with a giant mutant scorpion rat.

Hagrid stopped cooing and turned around as two smaller creatures made their way through the border. He gestured for the students to come closer, saying, "Come on, they won' 'urt you." and then opened the stained rucksack to pull something out.

Harry looked at Hermione, who nodded and stepped forward slowly toward their big friend. Ron also followed alongside Harry after looking at me. He probably thought I was ok because he moved forward, I was too scared to move in case they ate me or something, and led some of the braver feeling Gryffindors and even some Slytherins toward the heart of the clearing. The rest of them decided unwanted predators might be more willing to attack a smaller group and so edged closer too.

Hagrid finally pulled his hand out of the bag, along with a handful of very bloody meat that could very well fill the whole inside of even the fattest boy that lived in the Spinner's End's body. Some people backed away a step or two.

When the large lump of meat landed at their clawed hoofs, kind of like a small dinosaur that ran fast on it's back legs like a T-Rex, the first creature sniffed at it, nudged it with what should be its snout, sniffed at it again and then took a large chunk out of it, as a lion would do to a zebra or antelope, like the way it showed on The Discovery Channel. The other two deemed it safe and joined in, tearing it to shreds and devouring it. When they were done, they cleaned up any remaining blood on their snouts or the ground with a surprisingly long, thick, slimy serpentine tongue. If anyone's seen the anime Naruto, think Orochimaru.

A lot of people said 'ew' at this. I just think the blood left my face and decided I thought I would be sick if I stayed up any longer so I lay my head back to its previous position in Ron's shoulder.

The Bat-Horses sat down and rested, watching Harry's friends and the green-dress people staring back with black eyes that glimmered dully in the weak sunshine that had managed to get through the thick canopy of tree tops

I didn't like this part and began to shake within Ron's arms so he just tightened his hold a bit, especially when I hid my face in his shoulder.

"Now, can anyone tell me wha' these are an' wha' they do?" Hagrid asked the class, a tone or two lower than his usual boom but as far as possible from a whisper, after wiping his hand on a cloth and then putting it in the bag.

I think Hermione put up her hand, I knew it was her from the sound of her voice, but what she said when Hagrid picked her must have surprised everybody human in the clearing because they gasped.

"Are they related to Thestrals?"

"Yea'. They're called Tarrecons (Tar-reh-kons). Actually, they're a pretty rare species. I've go' the only three in England righ' 'ere and none of 'em 'ave ever been recorded into any book." The giant man said. That explained why Hermione didn't know about them.

"Any more would be in the wilder Asian jungles, but they're ge'ing endanger'd now. The wild one's move faster than tha' big muggle ca' animal they call a Shee'ar or somethin'."

"Cheetah, Hagrid." Hermione corrected.

"Thanks, Hermione. Well," he continued, "They move faster than a Chee'er and usually attack with their claws, the ones you can see a' the fron' there, and if the prey is tougher, then they use the poison in tha' tail to bring 'em down in less than five minutes. I' would kill anything smaller than a baby dragon almost immediately which is why I didn' show you these until now. We don' need another acciden', this time with someone dyin' instead of in the Hospi'al Wing with a minor scratch. Y'know, like the inciden' in your Third Year, was i'?

I wonder what he was talking about. Ron must have known since his arms tightened around me a little bit.

Then Hagrid startled everyone with, "Who wan's ta pe' them! Come on, they're tame, remember! Don' worry, all you have to do is le' them sniff you before touchin' them to le' 'em know your no' goin' ta harm 'em."

_Pet them!_ Was he joking?! I started shaking even more, but I couldn't control it, and it was nice when Ron started to rub my back.

Harry and Hermione were the only ones who tried apparently because Ron was holding me. Their hands weren't broken, bitten or poisoned or even scratched and everybody made their way back to the castle safely when the sound of a very distant but still loud chime rang through the grounds to signal that the class was over. The Tarrecons retreated back to where they came from and everybody closely followed Hagrid back out of the Forest.

It was now time for a short break before going to the next class. Thirty minutes of relaxed chatting to friends, a slow casual walk to the next class or hurried finishing of late homework.

The trio opted for the shade of a large Oak to settle down close to the Greenhouses, where their next challenge was to take place. I was still holding onto Ron when I realized we weren't in the dark, scary forest, with the Bat-Horses anymore.

OxoXoxO

"Ok, Harry. Now, about this morning." Harry sighed inaudibly but he didn't say anything.

"Why Hawwy sad?" I asked him. I was sitting in My-Nee's lap now because Ron said his arms were about to fall off. They didn't look like they were, though.

I was looking at Harry. He seemed t be thinking something - Harry made a mental note to give the kid a bath the minute they got inside their new dormitory.

"Harry's not sad, he's just, err...thinking about some things." The black-haired boy finished lamely. Ron snorted.

"What Hawwy finkin' 'bout?" I asked him, tilting my head. Sometimes doing this makes people go 'awww' too, but I don't know why. Harry smiled. "About how many toys there will be in your new room when we go there later." He replied. My eyes widened. I actually get toys!

I whispered to Ron what kind of toys I would get. Sometimes if I was loud, even without meaning to be, Father took my toys away, one by one for each time I misbehaved. I'd only had five anyway. My-Nee talked to Harry quietly too.

"What about them, Hermione? Don't worry, okay? I'll talk to him after last lesson is over, we check out our new dormitory and set it up; you guys can watch Severus or something and I'll go up." Harry said it in a normal voice, though just a little bit louder than he was supposed to, as if he wasn't afraid of having his toys taken away. I looked at him.

"Harry you had better not just go walking around the castle just to avoid it. Ron can watch Severus and I'll go with you." My-Nee talked louder too.

Ron had heard this last part and made his opinion noticed by yelling so loudly I jumped and hid behind My-Nee like I did with Mummy when Father talked loud. Loud talking meant that Father and Mummy were going to start shouting and Father would start throwing things. I got the impression that Ron wasn't too different.

"Fine, Ron, you can make sure he goes and **I'LL** stay with Severus. Or Harry can be the mature adult he is and go by himself without delay." She said the last part looking pointedly at the black haired boy.

This was when the bell rang and so they picked themselves up and made the short distance toward the Greenhouses for Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.

I looked between them but they didn't say anything else concerning the matter.

OxoXoxO

A/N: College started monday. It's like 11pm Sunday and I haven't even started on the homework!

On the bright side I got an awesome book on fairies and Graphic design, character building. I'm also one of, like, four people out of forty who already know their way around the buildings. I'm just the only one who probably can't go out without getting almost knocked over by a bus, or something. Figures.

Oh and I also have to fast, as in, like, not eat from dawn til dusk. Poo. I usually don't eat anything anyway, but I do kinda crave sweet things. Lot's of sweet things.

So, I'm so very sorry if I don't update as much as you guys would like but bear with me until I find some routine, kay? Kay.


	9. Chapter 8 Bath Time!

**Chapter 7**

_You must know the warnings already, having come this far. If not: Slash (__male x male) relationships __in later chapters__, mild swearing. there's another one-kindof- but it's a surprise for later. I might tell if you ask._

_Disclaimer: You must also already know that I don't own, nor do I make any profit from simply borrowing the works of Ms. JK Rowling. If there is something within this story that does not belong to her it belongs to me._

**Note:** Very sorry about the late update, but excuses are useless for me anyway, they hardly work as i can never get my stories straight. So I'm just going to warn you in advance that I may have lots of homework that I will likely procrastinate on in the coming month as I have already. The homework part. Well the procrastinating part, too.  
The point is I may not get a chance to write until around the breaks so remind me if you must. And believe me, I'm a lazy person and need loads of persuasion from my mum to wake up in the mornings, but only need a little nudge from anyone else. Perhaps, depending on my fickle PMS-ish moods.

Anyway, enough with the ramblings, on with the story.

**OxoXoxO**

I never want to go near another plant again. Ever. Or even another Hogwarts Greenhouse.

That doesn't mean I won't. Harry said there are certain things that can't be avoided, especially when it comes to school. Or, more specifically, Hogwarts.

Just like the way you can't avoid injuries here. If I hadn't got one so far, then it's bound for me in the near future. According to Harry. So he's going to protect me as much as possible, or at least lessen the blow. My heart pretty much fluttered at this; nobody but Mummy cared that much for me before.

But back onto the subject of plants. Let's put it this way: definitely not the same one's in Spinners End. Those are nice and small, and don't try to bite your head off when you're facing the other way. These are huge, with mouths in some of them. Others are big waving tentacles that attept to squeeze anyone or anything that it comes into contact with to death. Harry, Ron and Miney agreed to leave me in capable hands when they have Herbology lessons, and since Herbology was with the Hufflepuffs, they could leave me with someone I like from the other Houses. I didn't like the sound of 'leaving me', but they told me that's not what they meant. They wouldn't lie to me, they _chose_ to care for me, after all.

They also thought about the other Heads of Houses to look after me, but I don't see how a head could do that with no body to hold me or take me anywhere. They must have been talking about something else. Or they were really crazy.

So people nom'nated are: Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister. She looks like Mummy, they both have rich bright red hair and shiny eyes, so I like her already. I accidentally called her Mummy when I saw her but she just laughed when I said that she looks like her and hugged me. I like her hugs. Just like Mummy's. A lot of other people stared, though.

Draco Malfoy: The boy with the Green Dress and the white-yellow hair that likes me so much. I don't know why he likes me, and he reminds me a little bit of Father's way of talking and walking when he wasn't Dizzy, but he's nice to me and gives me choc'lates when Harry or Miney isn't looking. And he hugs me when he see's me. Not just like leaning down to hug me, or going on one knee, he picks me up and swings me 'round in circles. Father never did that, so I like Draco. A lot of people stare at him, too.

Luna Lovegood. Miney doesn't approve of her, but I don't know why. Though a wierd girl who wears funny veg'table earings and a necklace of round square things that come stuck in bottles, Luna is fun enough to have around and talk to. She believes in a lot of things that Miney doesn't. She also has a dreamy voice voice that sends me off to sleep when I'm tired or really relaxes me when she has free time and we lie under a big tree in front of the Lake. Sometimes the Giant Skid says hello.

Then there's the old lady who's very strict looking and everybody listens to her. Professor McGonnagal, Harry told me. She like's me though. And she's nice to me; she gives me sugar biskuts. And Grampa Dumbledor. I like him. He gives me some funny sweets called Lemon Drops. They're sour but very nice when you get over that.

But today I went with them. Because they had their hands full, I held on to their dresses instead, looking around but not touching anything. I wouldn't have wanted to anyway. A giant flower picked me up and was going to eat me if Ron hadn't stopped it. The lady at the front, Professor Sprout, awarded him twenty points, but told us to be careful next time or I wouldn't be so lucky. I _really_ didn't like the sound of that. I was shaking in Ron's arm's again when we left.

Next was DADA, with the new Defense teacher. I thought she was very pretty, but from the looks some of the boys were giving her I think they thought she was more than pretty. The girls were giving her and the boys bad looks. I thought they should have been dead under those. I didn't listen to what they said and sat drawing again. I looked up when everyone stood, not wanting to be left behind again, but I was told to go and sit at the teachers desk so that the students could practice without hurting me. Harry liked that idea a lot.

I took my drawing with me and continued there. My feather ran out of black water and I found some to my left, just in front. It was too far to reach though, while sitting, so I got up on my knees on the chair and reached. A bright red light flashed over my head and I froze, eyes wide and hand outstretched, incase another one came.

Harry came over after about one second and asked me if I was alright and if the light touched me. I told him I was fine and it didn't, the bell rang for the end of class some minutes later and I was once again in Ron's arms, showing them the picture I drew. They told me I was very talented and my chest swelled with pride. I smiled all the way to the dark underground place.

Ron talked about how pretty Proffessor Price was with a funny expression on his face. Harry smiled and agreed with him, just not so enthusiastically. I don't think Harry liked her nearly as much as the other boys did.

That was good or, like Ron, he wouldn't have been able to concentrate on the wierd looking bubbling liquids in the pots that Harry called 'Poshuns'. He looked grim but hopeful too for some reason as we walked down to the cold stoney cellar place. Ron had a dazed expression and looked like he was in some far away land in his head so he just followed us without really thinking. Miney just looked like she wanted to hit Ron, very _hard._

**OxoXoxO **

The rest of the day passed and I found myself back in Ron's arms and heading to the top of loads of moving staircases. We had to wait for the next one to get to us sometimes and Ron jumped a step someplace, as did Miney and Harry. When I asked why, they just answered that it was a trick step and you couldn't get out without help if you fell for it, so you'd have to stay there until someone came by. He looked back to the step, counted it up from the bottom and filed that away for future reference.

I had to wait with a girl in the big room that had a fireplace so huge four of me could fit inside snugly with plenty of elbow room.

Miney went through one set of doors, where I saw steps going up around a corner. Harry and Ron went through another with the steps going the other way round.

The girl, Katie, looked like she didn't really know if she wanted to take me or not, like she was really uncomfortable with me, which made me think that she didn't like me. So I just sat next to her on a big comfy chair as she talked to her friends, and didn't say or do anything that Father would punish me for.

Then she said something wierd about two boys, twins, I think, but I don't know what twins were, and the other girls started laughing. One of them said something which sounded funny to me and I giggled, but when they started laughing I thought I'd done something wrong. Until everyone came over to me and started saying, 'Oh, that is sooo cute!', and 'Why does Potter get all the adorable ones?'. Everybody looked at the girl who said the last part and she turned bright red as she thought back to what she said. I still don't know why.

The trio came back down with three large trunks floating in the air behind them. It took them about twenty minutes to get me out of the middle of the crowd, telling them that my bedtime was coming up very soon and I had to get ready. They cooed even more and louder and, oddly, squealed when Harry held my hand but backed off.

Soon we were at a room that was absolutely huge! It was behind a portrait of a little girl with a little yellow dress like the one's some of the girls in Spinner's End wore on warm days. It had short puffy sleeves and extended down to her knees, and she wore short socks with black slip on shoes.

I know Mummy had wanted to give me a little sister but Father didn't seem to want to. He had said once at breakfast, before I started my chores, that they already had one 'little money-filching, worthless rat, and didn't need another one's help to go send the rest of the savings down the drain too'.

The way I saw it, if we got rid of Father, moved some place else and I got a job then Mummy and I would have enough money for food and anything else we liked, without Father coming and wasting it all on nasty burning water.

Anyway, the Living Room was really huge, enough to fit both the bathroom and the Big Bedroom and the Little Bedroom in our house at Spinner's End comfytabley inside with lots of room to spare. Not that our rooms were that big anyway.

It was decorated similar to the common room, too, but with neutral colours, like white and creamy milk and this colour that Mummy says is called 'beige' that looks like a really lightbrown, I think.

There was a large hearth on the left wall, or it might be the right. I hadn't learned that bit yet. But the fireplace looked big enough to fit about six kids my size into it without getting squished. There were big, comfy chairs in front of it, with two bean bags either side and a coffee table.

There were bookshelves and -cases lined along the walls filled up with all sorts of stuff. It looked very interesting but I knew I wouldn't be able to read it yet.

There was a kitchen area to the right of the room with a table and four chairs. One was a really tall chair that the others wouldn't fit into, so that one was mine.

There were four doors in the wall across from the portrait, between two more bookcases, spaced out from each other.

Harry went to go talk to Mr. Dumblydore so Hermione, Ron and me decided to look around and see what we had.

The room on the far left was Harry and Ron's bedroom with an adjoining bathroom inside. It was decorated in red and gold, with their trunks at the end of each bed in ffront of the door. There were two desks at either side of the beds, wardrobes and vanities for some reason, with moving pictures on the desks.

The next room was Miney's, decorated in soft pastel colours, with mahogany furniture. There were lots of bookshelves in here and Miney got very excited when she saw all the books. She had her own bathroom too with blue colours and sea shells; she called it 'en sweet'. I think it's because it smelled like flowers.

The next room was my bedroom and it was brilliant! My bed was on the left with dak blue curtains, sheets and covers, and it was so soft! Then there was the green wallpaper, with snakes and dragons and magical beasts and stuff. I hadn't ever even heard of some of them but they were really cool! There was also a bathroom connecting to my room with blue spell-heated tiles, with bath toys and a chest of drawers with fresh towels, pyjamas and soap.

Even better, the last room on the left was my own nursery! Harry was right. The room was so huge, it had a swing set, a slide, a round-a-bout, a see-saw and a climbing frame in lots of colours. The ceiling was painted to look like the sky with moving clouds and a sun that showed the time outside. There was the great lake in the distance and a giant skid swimming along the surface! The were the trees, the Kwidditch pitch, Hagrids little house, and Hogwarts on the wall with the door.

Even with all the outside stuff there was all the toys and the trunks to put all the toys in when I was finished playing with them. All the playground things had soft mats under them with magical charms that Miney said would make sure I didn't get hurts if I fell.

I wanted to play but Ron said I could play tomorrow after school, if I was good, if they had time, and if I took my bath tonight without making a mess.

"Let's get it over with then." He sighed.

OxoXoxO

A/N - Skid: Squid.

Kidditch - obviously, Quidditch.

Also...I'm very sorry to my reviewers for having to wait so long. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait a little for the next one too. I havent even written that one, but It shouldnt be a problem. I'm just re-writing it in Sev's POV for lack of inspiration. TT. Again, Very Sorry.


	10. Chapter 9 Diary

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers. I'm simply amusing myself with the possibilities.

Warnings: Malexmale relationships in later chapters.

Note: Both my laptop and my computer have died on me, and the shiny new little thing I'm using now belongs to college. No type-ups at night or at the weekends, unless I have to bring this home due to my teacher leaving early. Don't count on that very often either. Sorry.

* * *

_5__th__ September 1996_

_Professor Dumbledore asked us all to write in a diary every day until Severus is his own age again. It's one book so that we can read over what the others wrote. The other two thought that I should go first because it involves me more than them. _

_The first few days with Severus actually went better than I'd hoped, but I was shocked by what he'd told us of his past. I thought he'd sort of keep his memory from his adulthood and try to do the opposite of everything we told him. I suppose it's probably better this way; he doesn't know us, it's a new beginning for all of us. Maybe not. I don't know if I want to hear anymore of his home life as a little kid. But it might help us understand why he was the way he was all the time._

_Harry_

* * *

_5__th__ September 1996_

_I don't write unless I have to, but Dumbledore said it would be cool to write what happens and whatever. Something to do with Snape when he gets older. _

_Ok, I'd never thought much about Slytherins and their home lives. To be honest I'd never cared. I mean who would? They're Slytherins! Pretty much all of them are rich, with galleons pouring out of their ears from the minute they're born, and think they're better than everyone else because of it. Malfoy's especially, thinkin' they're the cream of the crop and everything. _

_But how was I to know__ Snape __had such a bad life growing up? It's not like he sat with me, butterbeer or firewhisky in hand and tell me his life story every night. Why would I care anyway? He's hardly freakin' the happiest wizard alive. _

_But after the first few nights with mini-Snape, I guess Harry figured Snape wasn't as bad as he made out to be. I kind of felt bad myself when he told us about his dad and the bath thing. I mean I guess I didn't help at all when all I did was yell and curse at him for not doin' what I said. I guess I had the thought in mind that he's still be the same as his older self even if he didn't remember that part. _

_It was even weirder since whenever he got scared or jumpy he came over to me. Like the morning we got him from the hospital wing, even if I was in front, he could have gone past me to Harry or Hermes. He went to me, though. And the Care of Magical Creatures class with Hagrid when he took us into the Forest he kept tripping over things, I think. I was kinda concentrating on not falling over myself. He tugged on _my_ robes and asked _me_ to pick him up. Then he hid against me when he freaked out. If Ginny was that young she wouldn't have done that if she was scared. I think it's from being the youngest of a load of guys; you've got to be tough to survive. Especially when Fred and George are two of them. _

_We have to take turns to take care of him. Hermione will kill me if I mess up a second time._

_Ron._

* * *

_5__th __September 1996_

_Now if only Ron would write as much for an essay, without my 'help', then I'll die a happy woman. _

_But on the subject of the latest occurrence of our lives, our Potions Professor, Severus Snape, has repressed to Four Years Old. For the last week, Harry, Ron and I have been looking after him by bringing him with us to class and caring for him after classes in the living area that Professor Dumbledore created for us all. _

_It's close to the Gryffindor Common Room so that we can go for whatever reason. There's a large room for Severus to play in which he seems to enjoy very much, there's a large enough living room to have the whole of Gryffindor fit in with elbow room, two separate bathrooms, each bigger than my parents en suite, and more. I have a room to myself, without the _enlightening _presences of Lavender and Pervati, which I will definitely miss when Severus is grown up._

_What I enjoy most, surprisingly, is the look on Severus' face when he plays in the nursery with the toys, or when Ron picks him up when he's scared. It's such a sweet and innocent expression. At times like that it's hard to believe anything he told us about his past. The awful story about his father. Unfortunately, that sounds to me like only the tip of the iceberg. _

_I'm very, very much hoping it isn't. _

_Hermione Jane Granger_

* * *

Severus had noticed to funny looking book that the trio had each taken turns writing in. At one point he was so curious he opened it himself, but all he could read were the really short words that he'd learned from school, and some things his Mummy had taught him. Harry's and Ron's handwriting was almost illegible; it looked like writing in thin mud with a brittle twig.

Thinking of learning words and his mum made him think of the girl he had often seen around Spinner's End. The one with bright red hair and beautiful bright green eyes, always playing on he swings in the park with her older sister.

He hadn't pulled up the courage to talk to Lily Evans yet.


End file.
